Challenge
by NeonCandies
Summary: Genji Shimada was a man who never backed down from a challenge. From the weirdest challenge to the most extreme, he'd say yes to the dare and do whatever he could to accomplish it. So when he's dared to try and woo a particular Omnic monk, Genji barely thinks twice before he's agreeing. If only he knew how twisted his previously normal life would become the moment he accepted.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hey I'm trying my hand at an Overwatch fanfic. Starting with one of my favourite shippings. Hopefully no one is ooc and if they are, I'm sorry. It always happens where I start a new fanfic for a fandom and everything seems odd to me. Hopefully I gradually make them less ooc as the fic goes on. This is just a general test run to see if it's good or not. :U Thanks for reading~

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Genji Shimada was a man who never backed down from a challenge. From the weirdest challenge to the most extreme, he'd say yes to the dare and do whatever he could to accomplish it. One time he had been dared to strip down and run around the block. While his friends had laughed expecting him to back out, Genji Shimada, without any hesitation, yanked off his clothes and then proceeded to skip around the block without any shame.

One could only question how he didn't get caught by the police. It helped that he was dared at night when barely anyone was out. It also helped that he was a part of the Shimada clan and no one wanted to put the youngest Shimada in jail, least they suffer from the entire clan's wrath.

Because Genji was never one to back down from a challenge, this led to him getting in numerous amounts of trouble with his father and brother. His father would scold him, but other than that he would leave his son alone. Genji's brother, Hanzo, would be the one to hold onto the matter and nag Genji's ear off till he was satisfied. More often than naught Genji would tune him out till his brother was done ranting.

However on this particular day, something interesting was going to happen. Genji didn't know it, but today he would be dared to do something that would change his future entirely. If it was to be a good or bad thing, it was too soon to tell. The only thing clear was that it would flip Genji's world upside down and possibly change him, maybe for the better.

He was currently hanging outside the local arcade with a few of his friends and his current infatuation hanging off his arm. The girl pressed up against him was fair in face, with short black hair and a slim waist. What really drew in Genji's eye was, to put it bluntly, her voluptuous chest.

Genji was the type of man who enjoyed the pleasures the body had to offer. Just as his taste would change, so would his partners. From man to woman and everything in-between. The few times he had felt adventurous, he had even slept with an Omnic or two. It had been a very delightful surprise when he found out there were quite a few Omnics that had the necessary "parts" to partake in such things. It was an even bigger surprise when his willing partners derived pleasure from intercourse. Suffice to say Genji had just about tried everything.

"Genji, you're so good at Fighters of the Storm!" Asako cooed, pressing her chest up against Genji's arm.

Grinning, Genji chuckled and relished in the attention. "I am the undefeated champion, of course I have to be good!"

She gave him a shy smile, batting her eyelashes at him. "Will you teach me how to play sometime?"

The young Shimada hummed, tapping a finger to his mouth, feigning like he was thinking hard on the matter. "I am a very busy man, but I guess I could teach you a thing or two. Though… My brilliant expertise does come at a price."

"I don't have any money on me, might I pay in some other way?" Asako's voice was just as flirty as Genji's and if that wasn't obvious enough, the way she pushed closer against him was another giveaway that she knew what kind of " _payment_ " Genji was teasing for.

One of his friends, a short fellow with a hooked nose and outrageously dyed orange hair, let out an exaggerated groan. "Get a room if you're gonna do that here."

"No one wants to see that, Genji." Another of his friends snickered, stubbing the cigarette that had been hanging carelessly from his fingers.

"Yeah." The remaining two friends said in unison, one of them giving Genji's shoulder a playful shove.

Genji stuck his tongue out at them in a childish manner, "You guys are just jealous."

Asako giggled, leaning up to kiss Genji on the cheek. "I guess we'll have to talk business some other time? I've got to get ready for class tomorrow. Bye Genji," With a wave over her shoulder and another flutter of her eyelashes, Asako left the five men.

When she was out of sight, Genji pushed off from the wall and stretched. "As much fun as leaning against the wall is, I'm in the mood for some Rikimaru."

"I'm with ya there," The orange-haired man, Jiro, moved with Genji, the other friends falling in step.

With Genji at the lead of their little group and Naoki, a tall man with shoulder-length hair and a penchant for smoking, walking at his side, only a few feet behind him. Naoki had been friends with Genji the longest, having gone to the same school as the popular Shimada. The two of them had a 5 year friendship and, with Genji's 22 birthday approaching, it was soon going to be a 6 year friendship.

As the five made their way towards the more populated part of town, it became apparent that something exciting was going on. A few Omnics rushed past along with one or two humans, some even holding onto their Omnic friends and rushing with them. Genji raised a brow, curious at the excitement. The closer they drew to one of the local parks, the more excited people became. From where they stood at the edge of the park, they could see a cluster of both people and Omnics, the semi-large crowd hiding whatever it was they were gathered around.

"Wonder what that's about…" Jiro mumbled, voicing Genji's confusion.

Naoki made a sound, hitting a fist into the palm of his hand as he remembered something. "I think I know what's going on. I heard something on the news about some monks stopping in Hanamura to do a speech or something."

"Really? Would people really be this excited about some monks and a speech? Especially Omnics?" One of Genji's friends asked, though Genji didn't know who.

He wasn't really paying attention to them, too busy craning his neck trying to catch a glimpse of the supposed "monks".

"That's the thing," Naoki chuckled, wagging a finger. "They're apparently Omnic monks."

At this Genji started paying full attention, stopping to look at Naoki. "What? No way. Omnic monks? That's gotta be a joke."

Despite Hanamura being somewhat accepting of Omnics after the war, there were still some forms of prejudice against Omnics. Genji wasn't really one of the people who had a particular anger towards them, he just never really gave thought that an Omnic could be something like a monk. It was just a very weird concept to him. A monk was someone who was supposedly religious. Did Omnics even have a religion? The few Omnic partners Genji had had never mentioned something about them having a religion. Then again, Genji never did ask much about his partners other than the bare basics.

Naoki nodded his head, placing his hands on his hips and grinning. "I'm not kidding! You know that really old Omnic at the repair center I work at near the arcade?"

"What's his name again? Jin? Juke?" Jiro rubbed his chin, brows furred deep in thought.

Rolling his eyes, Naoki gave him a small shove. "It's June. And anyways, a while back I remember me and him talking about it. Apparently a group of Omnics got together, said fuck it to doing whatever they were made to do, and then hiked up to the tippy top of a mountain in Nepal and started a religion."

At Naoki's words, Genji's friends let out snorts of amusement and obnoxious laughter. A few were even wiping at their eyes as if Naoki just told them the funniest story they've ever heard. Genji raised a brow at their amusement, not really finding anything funny about the matter but not caring enough to kill their fun.

The young Shimada merely shrugged before turning and continuing on his way. "Whatever. It's got nothing to do with me, so why bother? Not like we'll be going to any of their speeches."

"Got that right! Can you imagine how boring that'd be? What'd they even talk about?" Jiro guffawed, "Oil or some shit? Maybe about gears and how they're important to living things!"

Genji was already tuning out his friends and their mocking of the Omnic monks. He honestly didn't care if they were talking about the meanings of life or about how grass was made by the government, it just didn't interest him. Genji was the type of person who didn't bother with things that didn't catch his interest. True he was a little curious about Omnic monks, but not enough to go and sit at one of their speeches. Since Genji wasn't going to be encountering them anytime soon, he pushed the idea of Omnic monks out of his mind.

Genji had returned home surprisingly early for once. It was barely 4 p.m., but already he was making his way through the large gates of the Shimada compound. The reason as to his early return was because of his friends. They had been annoying him, still harping on about Omnics and their religion and whatever the speeches may be about. Genji had gotten fed up with their incessant chatter, so he left without even ordering at Rikimaru.

Whistling as he made his way towards the main house, Genji was quite literally pulled from his thoughts. With a yelp Genji was yanked into a little alcove between two buildings. Staring into the face of his scowling brother, Genji had a moment to wonder what he was in trouble for this time.

"You're late." Hanzo seethed, crossing his arms over his chest.

Genji blinked in confusion, "Late?" He echoed, "How am I late? It's like… Barely 4. If anything I'm extremely early."

The Elder Shimada began tapping his foot impatiently, "Did you forget that we would be greeting our guests today?"

Lips pulling into a grimace, Genji waved a hand dismissively. "For starters, no I didn't know we'd be having guests. And secondly, I don't care. I'm not interested in greeting people involved in the family business."

It was Hanzo's turn to look confused, his anger deflating. "What? These guests have nothing to do with the family."

"Eh?"

Suddenly Hanzo's anger was back and his eyes narrowed. He snatched out a hand and grabbed Genji by the ear, yanking on it harshly. "Are you to tell me that when I explained to you a week ago about our incoming guests, you ignored me?" He hissed, voice dripping with venom.

"Um… When was this?" Genji forced a nervous chuckle, silently wishing he hadn't perfected the art of tuning Hanzo out.

"Genji! It was last week when father had called the meeting with everyone, including the council members! The one I know you purposefully skipped." Hanzo growled, "Why do you think I came to your room later and recounted the meeting to you? Are you telling me that you ignored even that?!"

The younger Shimada was thankfully saved from answering by a servant, the girl bowing deeply at the waist before speaking. "M-master Shimada? Your father has requested both of your presence in the main hall."

Hanzo huffed, letting Genji's ear go. "Yes, we're on our way." He dismissed her with a wave of his hand, grabbing Genji by the arm and dragging his younger brother with him towards the main house. "Just please be polite through the meeting? I'll explain it to you later why they're here."

Genji could only nod as he and Hanzo made their way into the main house and, after a few twists and turns, made it to the large room where most meetings were held. Hanzo opened the paper screen door after announcing their presence and getting the ok from their father to enter.

Despite being a pain, Genji wouldn't outright be rude to guests. He wouldn't humiliate his father and brother that way, he loved them too much. Even if he kicked up a fuss most of the time, he would still be polite if it really mattered. So he bowed with Hanzo in a sign of greeting to their guests before he even caught a glimpse of them.

"I apologize for my son's tardiness. It must have slipped his mind you would be arriving today." Genji's father, Tobikuma, said with a light tone.

"No need to apologize. You have been very wonderful company as we wait."

Genji's head snapped up as the robotic voice spoke, eyes widening at the two Omnics settled on cushions across the table from his father.

The fist Omnic had more angular features to his face-plate, a cluster of glowing blue lights arranged in the pattern of a diamond on his forehead. His robes were a mix of creamy white with swirling designs of a light plum colour. He held himself in such a regal way, almost seeming ethereal with how much "peace" practically oozed off him.

The second Omnic held himself in a more relaxed way, yet still managing to project an air of peace. He wore a similar robe to his companion, though his coloured with softer yellow tones and a few red accents. Not only that, but his body seemed to be made of more chrome than the other. Resting around his neck were a set of rather large mala beads, each one a beautiful gold colour with designs etched into the smooth surface.

As he turned his head to look at Hanzo and Genji, the young Shimada could count a set of nine blue dots on his forehead arranged into a simple square shape. The Omnic tilted his head in an almost curious fashion, watching the two Shimada brothers as they settled on either side of their father.

"You have already met my son, Hanzo. This is my youngest child, Genji." Tobikuma gestured to the young Shimada on his right.

The Omnic in white dipped his head, "It is a pleasure to meet you, young master Shimada. I am Tekhartha Mondatta, but you may call me Mondatta, if you so wish."

Mondatta turned his head slightly, looking towards the Omnic on his left. "This is my brother, Tekhartha Zenyatta." Zenyatta remained silent, head still tilted slightly. Mondatta reached out, placing a hand to Zenyatta's forearm. "Zenyatta, do not stare."

At this, the Omnic, Zenyatta, jumped as if in surprise. He placed a hand over his faceplate where his mouth-seam was. "Oh, forgive me! I did not mean to be rude. I was merely fascinated by your hair, young master Shimada."

Genji felt a grin pulling at his mouth, ignoring the warning look Hanzo tried to subtly throw him. Leaning forward, Genji ran a hand through his bright green hair, causing it to be in a state of further disarray.

"Oh please, just call me Genji." He chuckled, winking at Zenyatta. It earned him a soft giggle, much to his delight.

Before he could open his mouth to say anything further, Tobikuma placed a hand on Genji's head and ruffled his hair. "Yes, my son is rather… Eccentric. I do hope you don't take anything he says negatively."

Mondatta waved a hand, his own voice holding a hint of amusement. "Not to worry, I am quite used to peculiar interactions. Zenyatta is also quite the quirky character."

"Brother…" Zenyatta said softly, his shoulders hunching.

Both Mondatta and Tobikuma shared a small laugh, Tobikuma being the first one to clear his throat.

"Anyways, as I was previously saying, we hope you enjoy your time here at the Shimada castle. If you require anything, do not be afraid to ask." Tobikuma offered his guests a small smile.

Dipping his head, Mondatta hummed and placed his hands on his lap. "I thank you for your hospitality on behalf of my brothers and sisters. I do hope we won't be too much of a burden."

"Nonsense," Tobikuma chuckled, "I do suppose we should let you get settled in now."

Mondatta and Tobikuma both stood, followed by Hanzo, Genji, and Zenyatta. As Tobikuma escorted the two Omnics back to where they and the other monks would be staying, Genji was once again pulled aside by Hanzo.

The elder Shimada refrained from speaking till he and Genji were in the safety of his room. Genji slipped from Hanzo's hold and pushed open the wooden panels that made the window, the young Shimada sitting comfortably on the sill with one foot hanging outside.

"Alright, so are you going to tell me why are a bunch of Omnic monks are staying here again?" Genji asked, turning his attention to his brother.

Hanzo raised a brow before he smirked slightly, crossing his arms over his chest. "Depends. Will you listen to me this time?"

Genji gave an exaggerated groan, leaning his head back. Taking that as a yes, Hanzo sighed before moving to lean against the wall. He stared out the window, a deep furrow in his brows.

"The Shimbali monks have arrived from Nepal in order to give a series of speeches. They will be staying in Hanamura, but will travel around Japan to give them. We have graciously offered to house the monks till they depart back to Nepal. They will stay here for three months, during those times we are to play the gracious hosts and make them feel welcomed." Hanzo informed, expression still grave.

Mulling over the information for a moment, Genji hummed before crossing his arms over his chest and turning his own eyes towards the cherry blossom trees scattered neatly around the compound.

"Alright. So what's the real reason we offered to play hosts?"

Hanzo gave a short chuckle at how quick Genji was to see the hidden motive. Then again, he was a part of the Shimada clan. Hidden motives usually hung around the clan like the very air they breathed.

"The council members believed it would be a good publicity stunt. With the monks staying here, everyone will be focused on their speeches and how gracious we are as their hosts. No one will be paying attention to anything else we're doing for those three months. They'll be too busy reporting about the monks and their speeches." Hanzo hummed, flicking his eyes to observe Genji's face.

The two fell into a silence for a while, the only sound was the wind blowing and causing wind chimes to sing in the distance. Hanzo was eventually the first to break the silence, his tone pacifying.

"You do not need to interact with them if you don't want to. Just… Please don't cause any trouble?"

Genji pursed his lips, looking back at Hanzo and studying his expression. With a heavy sigh, Genji rolled his eyes and shifted so both feet were now hanging out of the window.

"Fine, I'll leave them alone. Those old bats can't complain if I'm never around to cause problems."

Hanzo rolled his eyes, "You know the Elders will find something about you to complain about."

Laughing, Genji threw his brother a wide grin. "Yeah, you're probably right."

The elder Shimada hummed before pushing off the wall and turning, heading towards his room's entrance. "If you plan on going back out, be sure to close my window before you leave."

Genji watched his brother leave the room before he hopped out the window, clinging to the tiled roof above it before closing the wooden panels. Satisfied that the window was properly closed, Genji easily scaled down the side of the building and onto solid ground. Such a feat was simple for those of the Shimada clan, for they were trained to be skilled assassins from an early age.

Pulling out his phone, he sent a quick group chat to his friends asking if any of them wanted to hang out. Jiro responded back almost instantly saying they were hanging out in one of the local bars having a drink. After getting the address, Genji made his way towards the bar, feeling the need for a drink rather badly.

"So let me get this straight," Jiro snickered, trying hard to catch his breath between his giggling. "Those Omnic monks we were talking about this morning are actually staying in your house? For three months?"

"That's about it." Genji grumbled, sipping at his drink loudly.

Genji's friends broke down in another howling fit of laughter, some sloshing their drinks and spilling a bit in their excitement. Naoki gave him a sympathetic smile, patting Genji's back.

"You have to admit, it is rather ironic."

Groaning, Genji set his drink down and leaned back in his chair, tilting his head back to stare at the ceiling. "I don't care if it's ironic or not. Now I'm gonna have to walk on eggshells when I'm at home. For three months! It's gonna be so boring!"

Ignoring his dramatics, Jiro downed the rest of his drink before setting his glass on the table rather loudly. "So they'll be crashing at your place for three months, no biggie! Just find some way to entertain yourself!"

"Can't. Father would have my ass if I embarrassed him in front of our "guests". Plus, anything that's leftover Hanzo will demolish." Genji grumbled. He hadn't told his friends why the Omnics really were staying in the Shimada castle. He wasn't stupid, that would backlash in more ways than he'd like. Genji liked his friends, sure, but he didn't trust them all to that extent. Not even Naoki knew much about Genji's family, only the rumours that hung around Hanamura.

Gasping, Jiro snapped his fingers and grinned widely. "I got it!" Though his words were slurred, he was still able to make coherent sentences. "Ya just can't get caught."

Genji and his friends all took pause, staring at Jiro with varying expressions. "… Explain?" Genji asked suspiciously.

"Genji, you've slept with a whole lot of different people before, right? A few of them even being Omnics?"

"Yes…?" Genji was growing more confused by the second.

Sighing, Naoki clicked his tongue impatiently. "Where are you going with this, Jiro?"

Jiro's grin widened, if that was possible. "You've slept with a normal Omnic, sure. But have you ever slept with a monk Omnic?"

As Jiro's words began to make sense, Genji instantly knew what his friend was getting at. The Shimada felt a familiar rush of excitement spark in his chest, a sweet burning feeling coming from the tattoo on his back. Inside, his Dragon growled at the hint of a challenge, flooding Genji's mind with its own primal excitement.

"No, I have not." He said, a grin pulling up the corners of his mouth.

Pointing a slightly swaying finger at him, Jiro giggled. "Genji Shimada, I dare you to sleep with one of the monks and take a picture as proof!"

Naoki rolled his eyes, smacking Jiro's hand in annoyance. "Don't be stupid, Jiro. If Genji gets caught messing with those monks, he'll seriously be murdered by his brother. Not only that, but we don't even know if those monks have the proper junk."

"Can it, Naoki." Jiro sneered, sticking his tongue out at the taller male. "I was just getting to that!" To Genji he said, "If none of the Omnics have the proper shit to bang them with, then improvise! You have to at least get into bed with one, doesn't even have to be sexual. If you can do that, get a picture, all without getting caught, then I will consider you the master Casanova!"

Genji snorted, "Aren't I already?"

Jiro didn't bother to answer that, instead holding out his hand to Genji with a smug look on his face. "You game?"

The young Shimada took a moment to think about the pros and cons of this deal. If he said yes, then there was the high chance he would end up dead because he couldn't keep it in his pants. Then again Genji would love to wipe that smug look off of Jiro's face and prove just how suave Genji could be. From the way his Dragon purred, Genji could tell it felt the same way. Who cared about the consequences? This was going to be one of the best deals ever.

Grabbing Jiro's hand and shaking it, Genji gave him a feral smirk. "Deal."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Tbh I don't like the FF format :'D But I'll linger here. Also, this fic is also on my A03. I go under the same name as I do here~ Anyways, thanks for reading! Feedback is welcome!

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Genji sat on one of the many roofs in the Shimada compound, hidden in a little alcove and away from anyone who might happen to look at the roof. He was thinking hard on how he would go about picking his prey. There wasn't much the young Shimada could do as of now. The monks did not need to bathe, so he wouldn't see them disrobe anytime soon. However… If their clothes where to suddenly get dirty, then wouldn't they need to change?

His green head perking up slightly, Genji furrowed his brows and hummed. He rubbed his chin with a hand, tapping his fingers along his bottom lip. That could be his first plan of action; to cause some form of "damage" to their robes that would force them to change.

On one hand, he could pay someone to find out which Omnics had sexual parts and which didn't, but that just killed the fun of the whole bet. Plus the idea of asking for someone else's help left a bitter taste in Genji's mouth. He refused to seek help from someone else, the very thought had his Dragon recoiling in disgust. Why would Genji, a skilled assassin with a Dragon as his spirit, need help for something as simple as this?

So that left Genji with very little options in the form of other plans. ' _I guess I could always "befriend" one of the monks… And get close enough to learn if any of them don't believe in abstinence…'_ , Genji thought, biting his bottom lip. It wasn't really helping, him figuring things out by himself, but he'd already decided to not ask anyone for help.

A familiar, chilling burn rushing from his back and spreading to every part of his body caused a grin to form on his face. He wasn't _necessarily_ asking for help if said help came from something that was technically him. Closing his eyes, Genji focused hard on manifesting his Dragon into some tangible form.

Genji felt warmth seep from his tattoo, the young Shimada taking that as his sign it worked. When he opened his eyes, floating weightlessly in the air was a transparent, bright-green Dragon. It stared at Genji with a raised brow, muzzle pulled back to mimic his grin. Genji laughed at the sight, reaching out to ruffle his Dragon's mane, but instead his hands passed through.

His Dragon snorted, almost as if to ask " _Did you really forget_ ", much to Genji's annoyance.

"Right, so sorry I couldn't concentrate enough to make you solid." The young Shimada huffed, pouting slightly.

The Shimada clan where blessed with the ability to summon their spirits, those spirits always taking the form of Dragons. The amount of Dragons one had indicated who the first-born was and who wasn't. Hanzo had two Dragons while Genji only had one. If Hanzo had been an only child, he would've still had two Dragons. But if the Shimada brothers had a third sibling, that sibling would be like Genji and have only one Dragon.

Just like they could call these magnificent beasts to fight for them, they could also manifest them outside of a battle. It took great concentration and peace of mind in order to be able to summon the Dragons into solid, touchable forms. Hanzo was able to do it after a few tries, but Genji was a little different. It took all of his effort just to be able to concentrate long enough to even accomplish this much. He could never clear his mind long enough to give it a solid form like Hanzo could with his Dragons. Genji's mind was always too occupied, darting from each new thought constantly.

"So what do you think I should do?" Genji asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "If we find a way to make them change clothes, it has to be in a way that won't get me caught and won't damage them. The last thing I need is all of them in repairs just because they got mud in the wrong places."

His Dragon snorted, rolling over so it was floating on its back. Glaring, Genji pointed a finger at it.

"Hey, I didn't bring you out just to get your attitude. I know you want to win this deal just as much as I do."

Letting out a whine, his Dragon stretched its limbs before sticking its tongue out, floating over to Genji and flopping itself on his shoulders. Even though Genji couldn't feel the weight of the cat-sized serpent, he could still feel the rush of wind as it breathed on his ear. For some strange reason, his Dragon was able to interact with the world around it, but no matter how much Genji grabbed at it, his hands would always faze through the translucent Dragon.

Genji grunted, watching its tail twitch as sensations radiated from his tattoo. He didn't know if it was the same for Hanzo or his late mother, but he and his Dragon always communicated through the tattoo. It wasn't always with words, sometimes it was emotions or impressions that would flood his entire system and speak to him on a primal level. When he was younger, Genji had been extremely fascinated by this and would spend hours upon hours conversing with his Dragon.

"Do both? Are you crazy? If we play a prank on the Omnics, we'd have to prank our 'friend' while we're at it." Genji huffed, dropping his chin to rest in his hands.

More feelings rushed from his tattoo, seeping through his body slowly, almost like warm honey. He sighed, tilting his head to the side and listening to his Dragon purr.

"Alright, I suppose you have a point there. Getting one of the Omnics on our side would be beneficial. I mean, they'd know what pranks would be harmful and which wouldn't. It'd be killing two birds with one stone." Tapping his chin, Genji felt a grin pull up the corner of his mouth. "So say I did decide to befriend an Omnic first, who did you have in mind? It'd have to be someone who'd be willing enough to play a prank, let alone let me get close enough to be considered a friend."

The interesting things about Dragons were that they could apparently tell a lot about the spirit of a person. Genji never understood it, neither did Hanzo or any of the Elders. The knowledge of the Dragons and everything about them had been a closely guarded secret. The only ones taught about it were those of the clan that had Dragons. However, before Hanzo or Genji could learn anything, the secrets were lost the moment their mother died.

Genji shook his head, ignoring the thoughts and feelings that began to swell up at the thought of his mother. Even now Genji disliked dwelling on it despite the many years that had passed. Genji and Hanzo had yet to awaken their Dragons before their mother was taken from them, so her and her Dragons never got to meet Hanzo's or Genji's.

Back to the matter at hand, Genji's Dragon had lifted itself off of him and flew away while he was lost in thought. The Dragon and Genji shared eye contact, Genji's brown eyes narrowing at green.

"Hey…" He mumbled, body tensing just as the Dragon's body tensed. "Don't… You… Dare!"

Genji yelped as his spirit darted off the rooftop, the young Shimada throwing himself off the roof just to follow after the green beast.

"Get back here!"

Hanzo would **_kill_** him if he found out Genji manifested his spirit while outsiders were staying in the compound. The whole thing about the Shimada's being an ancient assassin clan with the ability to control Dragons was kept secret for a reason. Hell, it was one of the few secrets Genji kept a tight lip about. His only option was to quickly catch up to his Dragon and send it back to his tattoo before anyone saw it.

"Damn it, stop running!" Genji yelled, leaping over rocks and anything else that got in his path.

Genji almost thought his Dragon hadn't heard him, but from the way it tilted its head back to look at him and stick out its tongue, proved it heard everything Genji said. Genji let out a growl akin to that of his Dragon, picking up the pace after the flying creature. It would occasionally dart around paths and backtrack, almost like it had an inkling of where to go, but was still trying to find the right path.

Suddenly, just as Genji leapt over the small well it flew over, the Dragon took a sharp right, Genji barely missing its tail. He cursed, landing on the ground and changing direction in order to go after it. Somewhere in Genji's mind he registered the fact that he had yet to encounter anyone, servant or guest. He could only assume he had been extremely lucky thus far, hopefully his luck wouldn't run out.

"I swear when I get a hold of you-!" Genji snarled.

The Dragon stopped at the base of a building, flying around in a circle before looking up towards an open window. Genji let out a frustrated sound as it suddenly shot up, aiming for said window.

"Oh no you don't!"

Genji easily vaulted up the side of the building, gaining on the Dragon who was currently slowing down. It darted into the window just as Genji did. Yet instead of landing on the floor like he anticipated, he instead slammed into something rather solid.

Both he and the figure he had ran into let out startled sounds before they crashed to the ground. After he gathered his wits, Genji pushed himself up on his hands and knees, scanning the room with narrowed eyes, attempting to find any sign of his Dragon.

The room he was in looked slightly familiar the more he studied it. It was spotless, seeming unlived in with decorations kept simple. The only thing indicated it was occupied was the pile of cushions in one corner of the room, a suitcase next to it, and a few candles scattered on flat surfaces nearby. Genji recalled it was one of the many guest rooms in the Shimada complex. As he studied the room, he saw no trace of his Dragon. Genji was beginning to think the serpent had once again ran, much to his dismay. Yet he then felt a familiar tingle go up his spine, setting a sweet burn along his tattoo. So his Dragon had voluntarily returned to his tattoo? Why?

"Um, excuse me? Young master Shimada?" Came the gentle, robotic voice beneath him.

Genji then remembered that he had knocked into someone when he entered the room. Looking down, Genji blinked at the faceplate looking up at him. It was the Omnic he had met back in the meeting, the one with the large mala.

He was lying under Genji, the young Shimada's hands on either side of his head, boxing the Omnic in. Despite the position, the Omnic seemed rather calm, much to Genji's surprised. Usually whenever he had others in this position, they would get flustered and embarrassed. Was he losing his charm already?

"I thought I said you can call me Genji." The green-haired man pulled a smile.

' _Is this really who you picked?_ ' He thought, getting an echoing purr in his mind as a form of response. Genji repressed the urge to roll his eyes, instead continuing to grin down at the Omnic beneath him.

Tilting his head, the Omnic, **_Zenyatta_** , his Dragon was kind enough to remind him, spoke. His tone held hints of amusement, making Genji's grin widen.

"Ah, yes, I do recall such a thing. Though I apologize, formalities are currently the furthest thing from my mind."

"Oh? And why is that?" Genji asked, wagging his eyebrows suggestively.

Zenyatta hummed, "Well you see, I am not used to having people launch themselves at me through a window. It was rather startling."

The flirty smile he wore faltered, Genji sitting back so he was resting his weight on his knees. "Er right… That could be extremely surprising. Sorry, I hadn't intended to tackle you like that. I was just kind of… Chasing something?"

"Something that made you scale up two stories and crash into an unsuspecting monk?"

"… Yes?" If Genji didn't know any better, he could swear he was being teased.

Zenyatta laughed, a light airy sound that sent a pleasant tingle down Genji's spine. If the way his Dragon began purring was any indication, then Genji could guess that his Dragon shared his sentiments on wanting to hear such a sound again.

Letting out another hum, Zenyatta rested his hands on his chest, tapping his fingers against his clothed chassis. "While I admit it was a pleasant surprise, Genji, I would like it very much if you would please allow me to stand."

"Oh! Right! Sorry!" Genji blinked, scrambling to an upright position. In the back of his mind, Genji vaguely registered the fact that the Omnic hadn't even asked how he had been able to climb up two stories without breaking a sweat. Genji extended his hand, the Omnic taking it and allowing himself to be hoisted to his feet.

Genji must've used too much strength, for the Omnic stumbled when he was on his feet and accidentally collided with Genji's chest. Thankfully this time they didn't fall backwards and out the window, much to Genji's relief. He was pretty sure Hanzo would eviscerate him if he accidentally dropped a guest out the window.

"Whoops, sorry. You're lighter than you look." Genji chuckled, helping steady Zenyatta with a hand on his hip and the other on the Omnic's forearm.

Zenyatta laughed, "I can understand why. One would think an Omnic weighed just as much as a human, if not more."

Genji let go of Zenyatta, watching the Omnic take a small step back. Grinning, Genji stuffed his hands into the loose pockets of his pants. "That usually is what people think."

The Omnic hummed, tilting his head slightly. It gave Genji the vague impressing he was being smiled at, which was odd. Then again, he was the one who was able to have a conversation with a sentient Dragon that sometimes never used words to talk. An Omnic giving the impression of a smile shouldn't be considered as odd, if he truly thought about it.

"Well," Zenyatta started, drawing Genji out of his thoughts. "I wouldn't want to keep you from chasing after whatever it is that caught your interest. Though I am afraid that our dallying may have given it ample time to flee."

Genji was quick to wave his hands, dispelling the worry he could feel radiating off of the Omnic. "No! It's totally fine. I can chase the… Lizard… Whenever I want! It's always around here, so there's no need to go and try to find it right now." Genji ignored the slightly painful burn that radiated from his tattoo, his Dragon displeased at being called a "lizard".

The Omnic pause before he covered the bottom of his faceplate with his hands, shoulders hunching and shaking. Zenyatta's laughing sounded muffled, probably because of the hands covering where his voice box was probably located. Genji watched in fascination as the Omnic continued to giggle, seeming unable to control himself. Genji tilted his head in confusion, unable to figure out what was so funny.

Holding up a hand, Zenyatta made a sound like he was inhaling deeply. He let the artificial breath go in a long, drawn out sigh before another sound left him that sounded like he was clearing his throat. Zenyatta linked his hands behind his back before speaking, voice laced with amusement.

"I apologize, I wasn't laughing at you, Genji. You see, I've just never met a person who would climb the side of a building to chase after a lizard. I simply couldn't help myself, I'm sorry if it caused you offense." Zenyatta said, his shoulders giving a small twitch like he was still trying to hold back laughter at the thought.

"Oh," Genji chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck and grinning. So that was what Zenyatta had been laughing about. Genji felt his Dragon forgive him for the lizard comment, mainly because it had caused Zenyatta to laugh.

"If I may ask, just what were you chasing the lizard for?" Zenyatta hummed, tilting his head to the side.

Genji's grin faltered and he cleared his throat, looking up at the ceiling. Now how was he supposed to explain this? "Well… I was going to… Use it for a prank?" Genji silently cursed himself for such a lame excuse. Where the hell had his suave, confidence gone?

"Oh? A prank for your friends, perhaps?"

"Not exactly…" Genji glanced off to the side, scratching his cheek in a nervous gesture.

Zenyatta seemed to ponder this, his head tilting further, this time Genji could tell it was in confusion. "Ah? Then would it be safe to assume you were planning to prank your family?"

The young Shimada laughed, shrugging his shoulders. "Any other time, maybe. But this time, no. My targets are a little different for this prank."

Humming, Zenyatta chuckled as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Is that so?"

Genji chewed on his bottom lip, mind racing as he tried to figure out a way to tell Zenyatta he wanted help with the prank. His Dragon chose this Omnic, right? Therefore Zenyatta would probably say yes to be his ally in this.

Confidence boosted with the encouraging purr from his Dragon, Genji took a deep breath before exhaling his words in one breath. "The prank was supposed to be for you and the other monks!"

The Omnic before Genji seemed surprised at the confession, a soft whirring coming from him as if he was trying to process this information. The blue dots on Zenyatta's forehead blinked a few times, catching Genji's attention. Yet he didn't focus on this for long, for Zenyatta began speaking.

"Oh? And was this… Prank… Thought of out of ill will? I would surely hope not…" He said, shoulders slumping in disappointment.

Genji was quick to wave his hands, panic rising in him at the thought of having upset the other. "No no! It wasn't to be mean! I just wanted to try and make you all laugh and loosen up! I know staying in a new place can be stressful, so I thought a harmless prank would help!"

Silently thankful for his Dragon supplying him with that idea on the fly, Genji watched as the Omnic seemed to perk up. He could almost sense the happiness radiating from the blank face in front of him.

Clasping his hands together, Zenyatta let out a pleased sound. "Oh how wonderful! That was very thoughtful of you, Genji! Though, I'm afraid I ruined the surprise for myself, it seems."

A familiar, predatory growl resounded in Genji's mind. Lacking substantial words, Genji was still able to hear the command quite clearly. It was telling him to strike now while his prey was unsuspecting. Use this moment to his advantage. Take what was presented and leave nothing behind.

"Indeed, you did ruin the surprise." Genji hummed, nodding his head sagely. The young Shimada gave a dramatic sigh, shaking his head as he placed his hands on his hips. "Such a shame too. I had been thinking of a fun prank all day. And now it's ruined. I'll have to start all over."

Zenyatta practically oozed guilt, the Omnic touching his cheek with a hand and slumping in on himself. "Oh dear, I didn't know me finding out would prove to be such a grave mistake! I feel truly awful. I'm so sorry, Genji! Is there any way I could make it up to you?"

"I'm glad you asked!" Genji instantly snapped out of his false sullen mood. He slung an arm around the Omnic's shoulders, pulling a startled Zenyatta closer as he grinned. "You, my friend, can help me form a new prank! This one larger and better than my first! With a spy on the inside, it'll make sure the prank goes off without a hitch!"

A chuckle left Zenyatta as he relaxed slightly in Genji's hold, shaking his head lightly. "I am beginning to think I was tricked, but I am an Omnic of my word. What can I help you with, Genji?"

Genji bit back the urge to give a pleased purr, reeling in his Dragon and preventing it from taking control of his actions. Clearing his throat, Genji looked down at the eye slits on Zenyatta's face.

"That's the issue, Zen. I'm not too sure what prank would be good! Of course it must be safe for the other Omnics, but it also can't be something simple! It has to be big! The bigger the better!" Genji pretended to ponder, rubbing at his chin with his free hand. "You see, I don't know what's safe for Omnic bodies. I was thinking a water prank would be fun, but then I wasn't sure if it would hurt them or not. We can't have that, now can we?"

Zenyatta seemed to contemplate this as well, "Well that is quite the conundrum. Though, your water prank might hold some merit? I do know that water isn't detrimental to Omnics so long as we don't linger in it for more than an hour."

"Really? So water is fine?"

"Indeed, though my brothers and sisters won't be too happy with getting wet. But I'm sure they'll all laugh once it's over." Zenyatta tilted his head in a way Genji was starting to associate with a smile. "What did you have in mind, Genji?"

Genji felt his smirk widening, almost turning feral. Internally his Dragon let out a pleased rumble, excitement already setting his blood on fire. It would seem Genji now had a partner in crime, much to his pleasure. This prank was as good as won. It was only a matter of time before he had his friends kissing his shoes for daring to think Genji couldn't woo everyone. Genji simply couldn't wait for this prank, it was going to be legendary.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I'm pleased to say I have more of the plot thought out, so I'm no longer floundering trying to figure out how to word things and where this story is gonna go xD Hopefully all goes well. Till then, thank you for reading~ Your feedback is appreciated

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"Genji, it isn't a matter of if I trust you or not. I am not jumping out a window for you."

"Come on, Zen! I swear I'll catch you!"

The two where whispering furiously at each other, Zenyatta leaning slightly out his window in order to look at the human down below. Genji was crouched slightly, wearing more muted colours than his usual white and orange. Instead he was decked out in blacks and greens, blending in well with the shadows of the night.

Genji and Zenyatta were supposed to go off and put their plan into action the moment night fell, but they currently weren't getting anywhere. Zenyatta had to sneak out of the guest sleeping quarters without getting detected, which would be a complicated feat. So Genji had told the Omnic that he'd figure out a way to get Zenyatta out of the room undetected. That led to where they were now; Genji standing under Zenyatta's window with arms spread wide, waiting to catch the monk.

Zenyatta shook his head, placing a hand to his temple. "Genji," He huffed, shoulders hunching, "I have faith that you would catch me, but that is still not my issue with your suggestion."

Genji groaned in frustration, rubbing his face. "Then if you won't jump down, I'll just have to come up there and get you."

At this Zenyatta seemed surprised, his tone giving it away. "Now Genji, don't be ridiculous. How on earth can you-."

Yet he never got to finish his sentence, for Genji had scaled up the wall in only a few short bounds, perching on the windowsill while the Omnic jumped back in shock.

"Oh!"

Genji grinned at the astonishment radiating from the Omnic. His Dragon purred, pleased with the reaction. The young Shimada slipped off the sill and into the room, watching as Zenyatta placed a hand to his chrome face and tilted his head to the side.

"I… Guess that answers my question on how you managed to reach my window earlier today…" He hummed, "If I may ask… How did you learn to do such a thing?"

"Well," Genji shrugged, looking up at the ceiling a little sheepishly. "My family kinda train to be ninjas, so there's a lot of cool things I know how to do. Though… It was supposed to be kept a secret."

Zenyatta seemed even more surprised, if not a bit worried. "Oh? But if it was supposed to be a secret, why would you show me? Let alone tell me? Will you not get in trouble? I'd hate for you to get punished because I learned something I should not have."

Waving a hand dismissively, Genji chuckled at the concerned tone directed at him. "Don't be silly. I told you because I want to, simple as that. And I trust you not to tell, so I don't think I have anything to worry about."

Genji cleared his throat, holding out a hand before flashing Zenyatta one of his charming smiles. "Anyways, shall we get going? The night is still young, we'd better hurry if we want to get you back before sunrise."

Zenyatta hesitated, his hands fidgeting in front of him. Genji waited patiently, internally cheering when the Omnic let out a sigh and placed his slimmer hand in Genji's. Instantly the human pulled the other closer, silently enjoying the sound of shock he got for his impulsive action.

Genji let his other hand reach for Zenyatta's, taking both hands and guiding them to wrap around his neck, bringing the Omnic even closer till their chests were touching. Genji smirked, letting a hand circle around Zenyatta's waist while he dipped down, hooking his other arm under Zenyatta's legs. Without warning he suddenly hoisted the Omnic in his arms, a soft, unneeded inhale of air leaving the monk.

"G-Genji! Would it not be easier to simply carry me on your back? I am sure you would need to keep your hands free if you are to climb down." Zenyatta sounded flustered and, if Genji took a moment to listen, he could hear Zenyatta's internal fans whirring faster than normal.

The smirk he gave the Omnic was, like his usual smirks, oozing charisma and flirtation. "But then I wouldn't be able to see your face. And besides…" His smirk turned playful as he inched closer to the window. "Who said I would be climbing down?"

Zenyatta stiffened as Genji bent his knees, preparing to jump to the windowsill. His grip on Genji's scarf tightened as panic leaked into his tone.

"Genji, no. I refuse to let you jump out the window!"

Yet his protests were ignored, for Genji was already moving. Internally, his Dragon gave a roar of glee. It loved the way the Omnic wrapped himself tightly against Genji, the way the slim body fit into his arms. His Dragon was also loving the way Zenyatta hid his face in the side of Genji's neck when the young Shimada did jump out the side of the window. Even Genji was enjoying the way Zenyatta clung to him, it was enough to make him grin even wider.

Genji landed on the ground without trouble, chuckling at the death grip Zenyatta had on him. He hummed, enjoying the feel of Zenyatta in his arms a moment longer before he slowly set the Omnic on his feet. A rush of air left Zenyatta, his fans whirring as he slowly pried himself off of Genji and began smoothing out his robes.

After he was satisfied with straightening his appearance, he crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head forward slightly. Genji suddenly got the feeling that he was being looked at with disappointment, or something similar to the scolding looks his father would give him.

It was subconscious that Genji ducked his head in mild shame when Zenyatta began speaking. "Genji, I had made it clear that I didn't appreciate the idea of jumping from the window. I was even more against the idea of you jumping out the window. I would've liked for you to respect my wishes and had taken a safer route down."

"But I can handle jumping out of a simple two-story window…" Genji mumbled, pouting at the tone Zenyatta was using.

Sighing, the monk eased from his tense posture and reached out, laying a hand on Genji's shoulder. "I understand that you can handle it, but it would still put my mind at ease to know you are being safe. Falling from that height might be ok for my body, but not for yours. I could walk away with minimal damage, only needing a few hours at most to get repairs. You, however, could break important bones that could leave you crippled for months, maybe forever!"

Now Genji really did feel like kind of an ass. Zenyatta did say he didn't want to jump, but Genji hadn't listened. Plus, he felt even worse for making Zenyatta worry about his safety. Even his Dragon was hanging its head in shame, an apologetic rumble coming from the spirit.

Genji licked his lips, putting the apology into words for the both of them. "Sorry, Zenyatta… I just… Wanted to show off, I guess." Genji mumbled, staring at the ground.

The Omnic sighed again, "Oh Genji, you don't need to show off to impress me. I can already tell you're a very skilled, intelligent individual. But next time, can you promise me that you'll listen when I tell you I'm against doing something?"

At this, Genji nodded eagerly. "I promise!"

"Then I forgive you," Zenyatta hummed, a smile in his tone. "Come, let us go set up our prank. The night is wasting while we dally."

Genji was quick to lead the Omnic to where he planned to enact the plan. As the night wore on, the two of them worked quickly and efficiently in order to get everything set up for the morning. When they were finally finished, Genji walked with Zenyatta back to the guest house, offering his back for the Omnic to climb on. Genji then scaled up to the open window, mind barely registering the fact that the light was still on, oddly enough.

Zenyatta slid from Genji's back and into the open window, turning around to regard the young ninja. "Thank you, Genji. I had quite a lot of fun tonight."

"Same here. I can't wait for tomorrow. I'll meet you guys near the pond, right?" Genji asked, grinning at Zenyatta.

From the way the Omnic tilted his head, Genji could tell he was sharing his smile. Zenyatta hummed in confirmation, "I shall see you tomorrow. Rest well, Genji."

"Yeah, later." With a one-handed wave, Genji slid down the side of the building and stalked off into the shadows, only glancing over his shoulder a few times at Zenyatta still perched in front of the window.

When Zenyatta could no longer see Genji, he sighed and closed the window, his shoulders slumping.

"You know, if it had been Mondatta that had come in to check on you, he would've short-circuited finding you gone. Would've torn up all of Hanamura just to find you, too."

The mechanical voice next to Zenyatta caused the Omnic to jump, letting out an undignified yelp of surprise. He placed a hand over his chest, entire body tense as he turned to look at the Omnic sitting in the corner of the room, book in hand. From where they were sitting, they would be hidden from the window, no wonder Genji or Zenyatta hadn't seen them.

"H-Hibiscus! You frightened me!"

The Omnic, Hibiscus, stood up after closing their book, carrying it with them over to Zenyatta. They wore simple, light red robes with white accents. It stood out against their pale, petite frame. The white carbon coating their body was decorated with intricate designs, some of the red streaks twisting into the shape of a flower. On their forehead were a set of four lilac coloured dots stacked into a diamond shape. Branching from those dots were more red designs, mimicking the flower the Omnic was named after.

"I would assume I did. That was my intention after all." The Omnic spoke in a light, feminine tone laced with annoyance.

She cocked her hip to the side, crossing her arms over her chest. Hibiscus waited for something and, judging by the way Zenyatta was shifting slightly, he knew what it was.

It seems the Omnic's patience ran thin, for she made a clicking sound before huffing. "Alright spill, what were you doing out of your room and were you really carried through the window like a damsel by Genji? Like the young master Genji, son to our gracious host?"

"Sister, please." Zenyatta groaned, placing his hands over his face.

Snickering, Hibiscus slung an arm over his shoulders, tugging him over to the table in order to sit down. "No whining, you owe me for throwing Mondatta off your tail. He was insisting that **he** personally come and check up on our darling baby brother. But me being the loving sister I am, managed to convince him to stay in his room while I go check on you. So there I was, opening the door to check on you, but what do I find? An empty room with an open window! Of course, I was so worried that you had been kidnapped!"

Zenyatta sighed, wishing he had eyes so he could roll them. "Yet from the lack of Mondatta running around the compound yelling my name, I can assume that you didn't really tell him anything."

"Nope!" She sat down, leaning against the table and playing with one of the candles stationed there. "Since no one would be stupid enough to try and kidnap you inside what is essentially a fortress, I didn't worry too much. I told Mondatta you were having a late night meditation and that I was going to join you to make sure you weren't causing trouble. But it seems I was too late, you were already snatched up by a Shimada."

She wiggled her fingers at Zenyatta, the two of them chuckling before they fell into a comfortable silence. Hibiscus hummed, tapping her fingers on the table. "So… Is he cute? I never got a good look at the youngest Shimada."

Zenyatta gave a mock gasp, "Hibiscus, are you suggesting that I would judge someone's beauty based solely on their appearance?"

The other Omnic also shared a false gasp, placing her hands over the bottom half of her faceplate, her model lacking a mouth-seam. "Oh! Of course, how could I ever forget? You're the type who doesn't just look at their outward appearance to decide if someone is cute or not."

"True self is without form," Zenyatta hummed, wagging a finger at her. "The outside could be as beautiful as nature in spring, but the inside could be a barren lake."

Hibiscus groaned, done with their little game. Waving a hand, she rested her head on the side of the table. "Spare me another lecture, oh wise one. I can't stand the thought of another of my siblings bestowing their " _wisdom_ " on me. Mondatta already talked my hearing receptors to death on "behaving" for this trip."

Zenyatta sighed, nodding his head slowly. He had been present for that lecture, Mondatta having talked to the both of them about "behaving", Hibiscus more so than Zenyatta. Though that was because out of the entire Shimbali order, Hibiscus was the type to fight back no matter the circumstances. She didn't seem to have "pacifist" in her vocabulary.

"You did punch that woman during our first tour."

"She was throwing rocks at an Omnic-human couple! Someone had to do something." Hibiscus waved a hand.

Zenyatta hummed, "You threatened her while her nose was bleeding. I was quite sure Mondatta was going to blow a fuse with how cross he was. It was the first time I've seen him so angry."

Hibiscus snorted between her giggles, "Not me! I made him all kinds of angry back before we left The Viscaria Parlour."

"I don't recall ever seeing that." Zenyatta watched Hibiscus, amusement clear in the tilt of his head.

"That's because he hid it from you." Standing up, Hibiscus let out an exaggerated sigh, stretching out her limbs and rolling her shoulders. "Well I'm heading back to my room. Now that you're back, I can rest easy knowing you're safe. Don't scare me like that again, little brother. You'd better tell me when you plan on sneaking out or I really will tell Mondatta."

Zenyatta stood with her, enveloping the shorter Omnic in a tight hug. "Yes, I'm truly sorry for causing you to worry. I promise to inform you the next time."

Hibiscus made a sound, "So there will be a next time, hmm?"

Chuckling, Zenyatta shook his head fondly, moving towards the door with her. He opened it, Hibiscus thanking him with a nod of her head. As she stepped out into the hall, she paused, turning back around to look at Zenyatta. She stared at him in silence, Zenyatta patiently waiting for her to gather her thoughts before speaking to him.

"You know…" Hibiscus hesitated again, shaking her head and clearing her voice-box, moving down the hall. "Never mind, forget I said anything! You'd better get some rest! Or else!"

"I will!" Zenyatta watched her disappear into a room further down the hall, sighing as he closed his own door and leaned against it. He looked up at the ceiling, thoughts bouncing around his mind all at once. Taking a deep, unneeded breath, Zenyatta let it out in another long sigh.

He moved around the room, picking up a box of matches on the counter and lighting the candles scattered about the room. He had skipped his evening meditation in order to carry out the prank with Genji, so the monk decided to have a quick session before going off into sleep-mode for the night.

The next morning, just as planned, Zenyatta had convinced Mondatta and the other monks to join him in touring the grounds. A few of the guards in the Shimada estate would be going with them, mainly to make sure they didn't stumble upon something they shouldn't.

It had been difficult to avoid giving away the plan, Zenyatta being a little too thrilled. If the look he received from the Shimbali leader was anything to go by, then Zenyatta was doing a poor job of hiding his growing excitement. However he was saved from having to answer his brother's silent question, for in front of them leaning against a cherry blossom tree was Genji.

He had been staring off into space, brow furrowed slightly. But when he caught sight of the approaching Omnics, he snapped to attention and pushed himself off of the tree. The few guards hanging around the Omnics all bowed to the young Shimada, though they were ignored since Genji wasn't really focusing on them.

"Young master Shimada, a pleasure to see you." Mondatta dipped his head in greeting, his tone light and airy.

Genji grinned, "You can call me Genji, no need to be so formal."

Mondatta hummed, hands resting behind his back. "Then Genji, once again I thank you for allowing my brothers and sisters to stay with your family. I sincerely hope you will attend our first speech in two days?"

Brown eyes flickered discreetly to Zenyatta, the monk trying to hush another Omnic, one with beautiful decorations against her frame. She appeared to be nudging him and laughing, much to Zenyatta's obvious displeasure. The flustered movements of the usually calm Omnic had Genji internally grinning.

Turning his attention back to Mondatta, the young ninja grinned and shrugged. "We'll see! It seems rather interesting, I wouldn't mind going to take a look."

"That is pleasing to hear," Mondatta nodded sagely, lifting one hand and gesturing to the path he and the other monks had been walking along. "May I request that you join us on our walk? Zenyatta seems quite eager to show us something, perhaps it will be of interest to you as well?"

Grinning, Genji stuffed his hands in his pockets and nodded his head in agreement. "Sure! Though I think I have an idea of what he's talking about."

"Oh?"

"Yeah!" Genji gave an innocent smile, "If you follow along this path, you'll come across a bridge that goes over a pretty shallow stream. The stream connects to a large koi pond. I think he wants to show everyone how beautiful the sight is from the bridge."

Mondatta sighed, a fond chuckle leaving him. "That does sound like him. Zenyatta always manages to find the loveliest of places to observe nature."

Slowly moving backwards while still facing the Shimbali leader, Genji continued to keep his falsely innocent smile. "Speaking of Zenyatta, I should go and give him my greetings! See how he's enjoying his stay here."

Mondatta seemed to hesitate at that, shoulders tensing slightly. But Genji was already turning around towards the other Omnic, so he missed the slight movement. Mondatta discreetly shook his head, turning back to walk along the path, a few of his brethren coming to talk to him as they walked.

"Genji, good morning." Zenyatta hummed, quickly stopping in slapping away Hibiscus' fussing hands. While Genji had been talking to Mondatta, she had ruthlessly started teasing Zenyatta, picking at his clothes and trying to make him look " _presentable_ ", as she put it.

Genji nodded his head, grinning widely at the Omnic monk. "Zen, sleep well?"

"As well as I can." Came the sweet hum. "And how about you? Did you sleep well?"

Never able to resist the option to flirt, Genji waggled his eyebrows and laughed. "I did, though it would've been better if I had someone to share my bed with."

Zenyatta giggled, tilting his head in a smile. "Oh? Well then I would suggest investing in a pet. Their company is most welcome when you are feeling lonely."

Genji snorted at Zenyatta's words, shaking his head in amusement. "I don't know if that's the kind of company I'm looking for. Though maybe you could help me go and… Pick one out?"

"Hmm… We'll have to see."

Their sweet, slightly flirtatious atmosphere was broken when the Omnic that had been fussing over Zenyatta, leaned in closer to the Omnic, whispering something in a language Genji couldn't pinpoint, much to his disappointment. For whatever the Omnic said, their words were enough to cause Zenyatta to gasp and his voice-box to make sputtering sounds.

"I- Oh Hibiscus!" Zenyatta huffed, lightly smacking her arm.

Hibiscus cackled, turning her attention on Genji and sticking a hand out towards him. Genji jumped in surprise at the sudden action, looking down at the offered hand before looking back up at the Omnic's faceplate. He was given the sudden impression that he was being grinned at, which made Genji wonder if he was getting better at telling emotions from faceless beings.

"Name's Hibiscus, young master. Though are we all allowed to call you Genji, or is that only for a special few?" She tilted her head towards Zenyatta for an example.

Zenyatta groaned, growing more embarrassed by the second. The other monks walking ahead of them would glance over their shoulders at the three, but would turn back to face forward when they found nothing of interest.

Genji shook the hand, "Nah, you can call me Genji. I've never been one for formalities."

"That makes two of us." She hummed, retracting her hand. Hibiscus, feeling a little generous, gave Zenyatta a nudge before walking further ahead, though still close enough to overhear whatever Genji and Zenyatta said if they spoke in normal tones. It was jarringly obvious she was trying to eavesdrop, not even bothering to be subtle about it.

Zenyatta inched closer to Genji, keeping his voice low. "Excuse my sister if she offends you. Hibiscus can be… A handful."

"No offence taken, she seems fun." Genji kept his voice just as low as Zenyatta's, flicking his eyes up to see how far they were from the bridge. By the looks of things, they only had a few short moments before they tried to pile everyone on the bridge. "So the plan…"

"Ah yeah, the plan." Zenyatta nodded, "How are we to carry it out? We'll need someone to pull the rope once everyone is on the bridge, but it would be too obvious if one of us tries to sneak off to pull it."

Genji gave the Omnic a sly grin, chuckling under his breath. "Don't worry, I've got it covered. All we need is to make sure everyone is on the bridge. After that it'll drop and we'll be the only ones not to get wet because we "accidentally" fell behind."

Truth be told, Genji's Dragon was going to be the one to pull the rope. The spirit was hidden, waiting for its moment to strike. It was hidden well enough that it could see the bridge, but no wondering eyes could see them. It was a full proof plan, one that couldn't be pinned on Genji or Zenyatta simply because they weren't the ones to pull the rope.

"I do hope it causes some form of amusement with my brothers and sisters. The Iris knows they need something to laugh at before the speeches." Zenyatta whispered, sighing as he stared off to the side.

Nudging the Omnic's shoulder, Genji waited till he had Zenyatta's attention before speaking. "Well if it doesn't work how we planned, at least we tried, right? It's the thought that counts."

Genji watched from the corner of his eye as the Omnics and the few guards began piling on the bridge. Mondatta being crowded around as the monks took in the sight of the small pond.

"Yes, you're right. There's no harm in trying." Zenyatta murmured.

Both Genji and Zenyatta jumped when Hibiscus spoke in front of them, her tone telling Genji's instincts that he was in danger.

"You two are being awfully secretive, whispering to each other like that."

They looked up, noticing that Hibiscus had stopped at the base of the bridge. The two of them stiffened when she moved over to them, slinging an arm around each of their shoulders.

"Come on," Hibiscus cried cheerily, "Stop plotting and come enjoy the view! It was what you wanted us to see so early in the morning, right Zenyatta?"

"O-oh, right! But I have already seen the view and I'm sure Genji has as well. I wouldn't want to infringe on the other's viewing." Zenyatta sputtered, trying to quickly come up with an excuse as to why they couldn't go on the bridge.

Genji, on the other hand, was quickly trying to tell his Dragon to either abort the mission or to just pull the rope **_now_**. He chanted over and over "pull the rope, pull the rope, pull the rope", but his Dragon didn't listen. In fact, an unfriendly chill went down his spine and he could clearly picture his Dragon grinning at him, a sweet, malicious purr leaving it. Genji paled slightly, his Dragon was out to get him.

Hibiscus, either ignoring their obvious discomfort or simply unaware of it, most likely the former, tugged them onto the wide bridge and towards the center with everyone else. "Nonsense! There's nothing wrong with seeing the same sight twice! Who knows, the first may be better than the last."

"Shit." Genji cursed under his breath as he felt his Dragon cackle through their bond.

They didn't even reach the rest of the Omnics before the wood underneath their feet began to creek ominously. Hibiscus stopped walking and looked down, letting out a yelp of surprise as the wooden panels beneath her feet gave way. Her grip on Zenyatta and Genji tightened, taking them down with her and into the ankle-deep water.

The other monks and guards all let out their own cries of shock and confusion, the bridge's floor dropping out beneath them. They all landed in the shallow water, limbs strewn about and many kicking up water in their consternation.

Genji had landed on his back, the water seeping uncomfortably into his clothes and soaking a good portion of his hair. He grimaced, cursing his Dragon as it slipped off towards the guest quarters for the second half of their plan, the part Zenyatta had no knowledge about.

When Genji sat up, he looked around at their little group that were also picking themselves up out of the water. Mondatta had landed face-first into the water, another Omnic on his back and sadly keeping him pinned to the water.

Glancing over to the side, he watched as Hibiscus sat up, shaking water off her body and letting out sounds of distress. "Aaah… I hate being in water! What the heck happened?!"

While she angrily looked up at the broken bridge, Genji was too busy looking at Zenyatta. The Omnic was just as soaked as Genji, having also landed on his back, but rolled onto his side in order to push himself up into a sitting position. Genji and Zenyatta stared at each other before Genji snickered, shoulders shaking. Zenyatta shared in the attempt to suppress laughter, but it didn't last for long.

The moment Zenyatta started laughing loud and clear, Genji followed soon after. Genji threw his head back to laugh, finding the situation absolutely silly. He and Zenyatta ended up falling prey to their own prank, all thanks to Genji's Dragon. Though the upside was that, other than Genji needing to change, so did Zenyatta. That meant Genji didn't have to think of a separate situation in order to take a peek under Zenyatta's robes, his spirit could do that for him when the rest of the Omnics changed.

Deciding to play up the innocent act, Genji pulled himself to his feet and helped Hibiscus and Zenyatta stand before moving over to Mondatta.

"Master Mondatta, I'm so sorry about this! I don't know what happened!" Genji exclaimed, helping the Omnic stand.

Mondatta waved a hand once he was upright, attempting to straighten his clothes out. "It is alright, only a little water."

Genji feigned a worried frown, "But still! It was obvious the bridge was purposefully tampered with."

"Indeed, but it was clearly not done to harm, or caused by ill-intention. If anything, it appears to be done as a simple prank. Though… It is a little too elaborate to even be considered as 'simple'." As he spoke, Mondatta's faceplate shifted its focus slightly. If Genji hadn't been looking closely, he wouldn't have noticed the way Mondatta seemed to stare at Zenyatta, the Omnic in question purposefully looking anywhere but at Mondatta.

Biting the inside of his cheek, Genji gave a hum and a nod of his head, hoping he was keeping a perfect poker face. "You're right. It was probably meant to get a laugh more than anything since no one was clearly hurt."

"I know I'm not laughing." Hibiscus snapped, a pout in her tone. She shook out her limbs, scattering more water from the crooks in her frame.

Zenyatta chuckled, squatting down slightly and splashing some water against the Omnic's legs. "Come, come Hibiscus, the water is harmless."

Making an affronted sound at Zenyatta's splashing, Hibiscus kicked water at her laughing brother. "Tell that to my stiff joints! Water always makes me sluggish!"

One of the Omnics closer to them, a monk with two blue dots on his forehead and a big blocky frame, snorted. "Well you are rather old, it's no wonder you have stiff joints."

A scattering of laughter left some of the monks, Genji included. Hibiscus stomped her foot, crouching down slightly as her body tensed. "I'll show you old!"

And with something akin to a battle cry, Hibiscus tackled the other Omnic into the water, the two of them kicking up a fuss and splashing everyone in another dosage of water. Genji watched in amusement as a few of the other monks began splashing each other, giggling all the while. Mondatta had a hand pressed to his forehead, shaking his head slowly.

Mondatta placed his hands on his hips, pretending to act stern. But the laughter from his siblings managed to wring out a few amused huffs from him. Clearing his voice-box, Mondatta spoke in his soft tone, the noise instantly quieting at the sound of the wise Omnic.

"Everyone, even though you are all clearly having fun, we must dry ourselves before the water becomes a problem." He tilted his head to the side, hands coming to rest behind his back. Mondatta was quiet for a while, focus trained on Hibiscus and Zenyatta who were in their own little splash war, Hibiscus having forgone her attempt at drowning her brethren in favour of throwing water.

Genji had to admit he was quite enjoying the sight of Zenyatta giggling like mad, hunching his shoulders when splashed with water and delivering another splash right back. Yet the two of them stopped when Mondatta cleared his voice-box again, saying the both of their names in order to get their attention.

Mondatta then nodded to Genji, "I'm afraid we'll have to cut our walk short."

"Oh no problem," Genji grinned, internally whispering to his Dragon that the monks were on their way back. His Dragon purred, signalling that it was ready.

And with that Genji watched the soaked monks and guards walk back to the guest quarters. Genji's smile fell into that of a serious expression. Slinking off and sticking to the shadows, the young Shimada climbed up to the roof of one of the buildings. There he kept close to the tile, ducking behind outcroppings and into alcoves, dodging sight.

When he finally settled on the roof of the guest quarters, he was already shivering lightly from his wet clothes. Yet now was not the time to go and change. He had to be here and wait for his Dragon to return with its knowledge. His Dragon couldn't return to his tattoo if it was too far away, and Genji didn't want to risk it getting spotted by Hanzo or his father just because Genji wanted a change of clothes.

Time seemed to tick on, almost thirty minutes going by before his Dragon was shooting up the side of the building and floating in front of Genji, coiling around itself as it grinned. Genji raised a brow at the pleased sensation rolling off his tattoo, wondering just what it was that got his Dragon in such a mood. Huffing, Genji rolled his eyes. Of course, it could only be **one** thing, the confirmation that they've found a prey.

"Well? Spill it."

Its grin widening, the Dragon let out an excited rumble. " **Three Omnics, Little Sparrow.** "

"Three? Well that isn't too bad, better than none. Though it makes our options limited…" He rubbed his chin, frowning. "And who are these Omnics?"

His Dragon let out a giggle that was more of a growl than anything. It twisted in the air, coiling over and under itself with the struggle to keep its glee at bay. Genji groaned, scowling at the beast.

"Well, come on! I'm freezing up here."

The spirit dipped up before flying at Genji, twisting at the last minute in order to fly into his back, once again becoming one with the tattoo. Genji shuddered, letting his eyes fall closed. Letting out a breath, he waited for only a few moments before his Dragon began feeding him images. They were glances of the Omnics that had the necessary parts, though they were from Genji's own eyes, memories of when he looked at the Omnic in passing or glanced over them with his eyes.

Genji grunted when the memory of an Omnic with less sharp angles was switched with an Omnic that looked more strong and bulky than the other. Nothing about these Omnics caught Genji's eye, not like how all of his other partners managed to. Even the ones he slept with that were Omnics had something about them that piqued Genji's interest. The Young Shimada could only hope the last Omnic was more to his tastes than the others.

Yet when the memory flickered to the final Omnic, Genji's breath left him in surprise. "No way…" He whispered.

The warm, delighted feeling that rushed from his tattoo informed Genji that yes indeed, this is what had his Dragon so damn pleased. Genji felt himself grinning, opening his eyes and standing up, moving towards the main compound of the Shimada complex.

"That just makes things easier then," Genji's grin turned feral and his eyes flashed a blazing green for a split second as he and his Dragon's feelings merged perfectly. "Zenyatta, prepare to be hunted."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: As a little treat, I tried to make this chapter a bit longer. I succeeded, that much I know. Lol. Also, I'm trying to make the Shimbali monks more... relatable? Like, they're just a bunch of guys, gals, and genders in between that all came together under a common belief. Some of them are probably older models, but there are also bound to be some around Zenyatta's age, maybe even a bit younger! So there's no way all of them would act like they don't know the concept of fun. I'm also trying to make Genji and Hanzo's father more of a character than just a figure that's there. And I wanted to show more of Hanzo and Genji's relationship. Hopefully I managed something like that... Anyways, thank you for reading! Comments are appreciated, but you don't have to leave any if you don't want to! Till next time~

* * *

When Genji made his way out of his room, dressed in a fresh set of dry clothes, he barely made it two feet out the door before a hand snatched him by the ear.

"Ow ow ow ow!" He yelped, wincing as the figure began yanking him down the hall.

"You are in deep trouble, young man." Tobikuma growled, looking down at Genji with narrowed eyes.

Genji bit back a whimper, holding his father's wrist in order to keep him from pulling too hard because with the grip the man was giving it, it was only a matter of time before it was ripped off. "Owie! Oto-san, what'd I do?! I haven't left the compound at all today!"

"Exactly. Which is all the incentive I need to know you had a hand in this."

Furrowing his brows, Genji tried to think of anything his father could possibly be talking about. He hasn't bothered Hanzo recently and he hasn't filled the Elders' tea with laxatives again, so what could it be? Could he have unconsciously done something wrong? No, that was impossible. Genji never unintentionally does something wrong.

Yet when his father slid open the door to his office, one of the few rooms in the entire compound that resembled western culture, and Genji saw the two Omnics standing in the room, it suddenly dawned on him what this was about. Somewhere in the back of his head he heard his Dragon curse because how the **fuck** did they get caught?

"Sorry for stepping out during out discussion, I had to retrieve something." Tobikuma grimaced before giving a firm tug, yanking Genji further into the room. Glaring at his son, he let go of his ear. " _Apologize. Now._ "

" _But Oto-san! I didn't do anything!_ " Genji was in a sinking ship and he was pretty much setting fire to the remaining wood by lying to his father's face.

" _Genji Shimada, I swear if you do not apologize for your actions right this moment, I will-_ "

Mondatta held up a hand, catching the attention of the two men arguing in Japanese. When it was apparent their focus was on him, he lowered his hand and once again tucked it behind his back to join the other.

"Shimada-san, I'm afraid your anger seems to be misdirected. This prank, while rather entertaining, was not harmful to the other monks and I. Many are unaware that water does not hurt an Omnic, so long as we do not linger in it. I am positive that Genji was unaware of such a thing, so he could not have been the reason as to why the bridge fell apart. I believe the blame lies with my brother, Zenyatta. He is known for the pranks he pulls at the monastery. It has gained him quite the reputation." Mondatta spoke, slowly turning his head to look at Zenyatta.

The yellow-clad Omnic ducked his head in guilt, "Ah… Yes. Mondatta is right. The blame lies with me and me alone. Genji had no part in this, so please do not be upset with him." He bowed at the waist, apologizing to Tobikuma.

Genji instantly stiffened, him and his Dragon sharing a sound of disagreement. This was Genji's burning, sinking ship, what was Zenyatta doing jumping on?!

"Now hold on! Zen was the one who had nothing to do with it! I was already going to pull a prank, he just accidentally got caught up in it!"

Zenyatta straightened quickly, seeming shocked that Genji would speak up. "Genji…!"

Without a second thought, Genji moved over to stand beside Zenyatta, puffing his chest out proudly. "So if you're going to get mad, it might as well be at both of us!"

Mondatta seemed just as surprised as Tobikuma, but thankfully the elder Shimada broke the slightly tense silence. He sighed, crossing his arms over his chest and shaking his head.

"Tekhartha-san," He turned to regard Mondatta, who dipped his head slightly to show he was listening. "It seems they have decided to take the blame together. I hope you'll forgive my son."

"It is no problem, Shimada-san. I am just glad my brothers and sisters found some enjoyment from the prank."

After a few more moments of talking, Tobikuma dismissed Mondatta and Zenyatta. However just as Genji made to sneak out with them, his father's words stopped him in his tracks.

" _Genji, stay behind. I would like to speak with you._ "

Genji flinched, sending an apologetic grimace towards Zenyatta when he glanced over his shoulder at Genji. The paper screen was slowly slid shut, sealing Genji's faith. He took a deep breath before turning around, beaming at his father.

" _Yes, Oto-san_?"

Tobikuma watched his son for a while, his arms crossed over his chest. The strain of waiting was causing Genji to sweat, his Dragon internally grimacing. His father was giving him _The Look_. The one that meant he was going to be given a punishment he'd surely dislike. Though that was the case for all of Genji's punishments.

" _In two days you are to attend the speech the Shimbali monks will be hosting. You are to represent the Shimada household as a deterrent for anyone thinking to cause trouble. So be on your best behaviour_." Tobikuma said, eyeing Genji pointedly.

Genji forced himself not to roll his eyes, his Dragon doing the honours for him. _You mean act good in front of the cameras and make the media think we're actually invested in the monks._ He thought, fighting back a snort of bitter amusement. Of course he'd be forced to take part in his family essentially using the monks' publicity in order to cover up whatever they were doing. Having one of the Shimada family members being physically at the speeches would gain attention directed towards the monks and away from anything else going on.

Yet despite being a prop for the stupid clan, Genji wasn't as pissed as he usually would've been. Sure Genji hated speeches and helping the clan with its illicit activities, but that was before Genji made a bet to get close to one of the monks and sleep with them. Going to the speech was right above Zenyatta on his "to do" list.

"Ok." Genji shrugged, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

Tobikuma deflated a little, almost like he had been preparing for a longwinded argument. "Ok?" He echoed, for once his calm face gone in order to be replaced by one full of confusion.

"Yeah, ok. I was already planning to go anyways, so I guess it really isn't a punishment. Though I guess it is since I'll technically be ' _working'_."

The elder Shimada watched his son almost suspiciously, like he was contemplating if this was actually a well disguised assassin and not really his son. Owning up to his own pranks was one thing, but willingly going to a speech that would no doubt last for a few hours? Without complaining or some whining and pleading for a different punishment?

Genji, seemingly unaware of his father's urge to demand his son summon his Dragon in order to prove it actually was his little Sparrow, blinked and made a move to open the door.

"Can I leave now? I've got to get to training or Hanzo will nag my ear off."

Nodding his head, Tobikuma watched his son leave, a worried expression passing over his face. " _Kimiko… I worry for our little Sparrow._ " He mumbled, glancing at the framed image sitting on his desk of a grinning woman in a sun hat fishing with two little boys.

* * *

"You're late." Hanzo huffed, tone lacking any bite.

Genji strolled into the training area, watching his brother yank out arrows from the practice dummies. The green-haired male refrained from shrugging, knowing his brother wouldn't even see it with his back to him.

"Oto-san called me, I couldn't refuse."

Hanzo grunted, returning his arrows to his quiver. He finally turned, watching Genji shift from foot to foot. He had his katana strapped to his back and looked to be brimming with energy. Hanzo watched his brother's expressions shift slightly, a twitch of the brow here, a quirk of his lips there. After living with Genji for almost 22 years, Hanzo has become an expert at reading Genji, just like Genji was able to read Hanzo.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Hanzo cocked a hip to the side and watched his brother with a raised brow. "What are you planning, Genji?"

Jumping slightly, Genji covered up his surprise with a fake gasp. "Anija, are you suggesting that I'm scheming something?"

"I know you, Genji. You're always scheming."

"… Well you got me there." Genji hummed, pursing his lips slightly.

Huffing, Hanzo shook his head and moved, setting his bow and quiver back in their proper places. With that done, he pulled out his own sword, unsheathing it before facing his brother.

"Draw your sword, we are going to spar."

Genji complied, though he was still grinning at Hanzo. "What, giving up interrogation so easily?"

Hanzo rolled his eyes as he and Genji began circling each other. "You wouldn't tell me, even if I strapped you to a chair and force-fed you steamed carrots."

This time Genji did gasp for real, "How barbaric!"

"Indeed," Hanzo said, sending Genji a smug smirk. "Maybe if you were more focused, you could be as intimidating as I."

"Oh I am hella intimidating!"

"Then prove it, carrot."

Genji hated that nickname just as much as he hated the damned vegetable. He gave a feral growl, one that was mirrored by Hanzo. Most of their sparring would start like this. They would playfully push each other's buttons till the other was goaded into fighting. It was a repeated dance they both took turns leading, though the ending was always different. Sometimes Hanzo would win, sometimes Genji. Yet if there was one thing the two of them shared besides their need to gloat when they won, it was how " _enthusiastic_ " they could get.

Sparks flew as their swords clashed against each other, the sound ringing around the otherwise silent room. Both Hanzo and Genji moved swiftly, growls of challenge leaving them every time their swords met. Hanzo's face was pulled into a frown, brow furrowed in concentration. Genji on the other hand wore a maniacal grin, eyes dancing with glee.

When their blades clashed once more, Hanzo's foot shot out, hoping to swipe at Genji's ankles and cause him to fall. It worked, but Genji, being specifically trained as a ninja, was able to recover. He fell backwards, pressing one of his palms into the ground and pushing off into a backflip. He managed to hook Hanzo's chin with the tip of his foot, causing the other's teeth to clash together. A painful grunt escaped the older of the two, Hanzo stumbling slightly from the impact.

Genji landed, crouched on the tips of his feet, hand placed firmly on the ground to steady himself while his other hand gripped his blade tightly. Genji smirked up at Hanzo, his grin widening when he saw the flash of blue in Hanzo's eyes. Genji's own eyes flickered to green for a moment, mirroring Hanzo's. Internally his Dragon was rumbling, body twisting with the anticipation of the fight. The desire to be released swelled within Genji, pumping adrenaline throughout his body and coiling sweetly in the pits of his stomach.

With a feral snarl, Genji launched himself at Hanzo. Managing to block the oncoming sword in time, Hanzo held his ground as Genji pressed forward. Genji could feel Hanzo faltering slightly under the pressure, an elated feeling bubbling up and driving him to shove harder. Genji was trained specifically in close combat, while Hanzo was trained for distance. The young Shimada found it fitting that he best his brother in something he excelled in. Yet when Hanzo suddenly went slack and dodged to the side, Genji suddenly realised that his brother had planned for Genji to put all of his weight into pushing Hanzo back.

Genji was thrown forward by his own force, but he didn't stay still the moment he landed on the ground. He rolled onto his back, using his sword to block the downward strike Hanzo aimed at him.

"Woah! Are you trying to kill me?!" Genji snapped, glaring up at his brother.

Hanzo shrugged, "I am merely testing your reflexes. In a real fight, there will be no hesitation from your enemy. You must be prepared to strike, always."

"Oh I'll show you striking." Genji bit out.

He grit his teeth, lifting a foot and kicking Hanzo in the stomach. He dislodged his brother and managed to knock Hanzo on his back. As they both scrambled to stand, Genji drew up his sword and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. There was a rippling feeling that originated from his tattoo, a demanding rumble coming from somewhere in his head.

Hanzo, seeming to know what Genji was doing, also drew up his own sword closer to his body. The two growled, eyes changing colours, green clashing with blue. They ran at each other, both opening their mouths to shout the words to summon their Dragons into battle.

However they didn't even manage to get more than two syllables out before their names were being shouted harshly.

"Hanzo and Genji Shimada!"

The booming voice of their father instantly killed the fighting instinct, but it did little to stop the momentum Hanzo and Genji were both going at. They smacked into each other loudly, landing in a pile of limbs on the ground with a pained cry.

Both Genji and Hanzo lifted their heads, watching their father make his way over to them. He crossed his arms over his chest, face grim as he began reprimanding them.

" _Are the two of you insane? Summoning your Dragons while there are outsiders staying here? What if they had heard the commotion and decided to come investigate? The roaring of Dragons can cause anyone to be curious enough to check out the source of the sound._ " Tobikuma had purposefully followed Genji to watch the two spar, because he knew how it could get. He had expected Hanzo and Genji to summon their Dragons, they always did when sparring against each other.

Hanzo and Genji rushed to pull themselves from their tangled position, instantly kneeling and bowing their heads in guilt.

" _I apologize, Oto-san. I let our fighting get away from me and completely forgot about our guests._ " Hanzo frowned, no doubt internally berating himself for his careless mistake.

Genji mumbled his apology, also ashamed with himself. Tobikuma kept his stern expression for a few moments longer before huffing.

" _Enough grovelling, stand, the both of you._ " When they quickly jumped to action, Tobikuma rubbed his chin before nodding his head. " _For almost revealing one of the Shimada family's closest guarded secrets, it is only fit that I give the both of you a befitting punishment. Sheathe your swords, you will not be needing them._ "

Hanzo and Genji shared a grimace, but they acquiesced, sheathing their swords and setting them to the side. Turning back to their father, they watched as he dug through one of the chests placed in the room, pulling out a role of adhesive tape. He began wrapping them around his hands before tossing the roll to Hanzo.

Both brothers looked down at the roll, paling as they realized what this meant. Hand-to-hand combat with their father, meaning their asses were going to be sorely kicked. While Genji and Hanzo reluctantly began wrapping their hands up, Tobikuma slid out of the upper half of his yukata, securing the material around his waist in a few firm knots.

Despite being a little up there in age, Tobikuma was by no means weakened. If anything, he looked to be barely forty, Tobikuma's hair still a dark black with only streaks of white. His body was also well-kept and still as strong as ever. It was littered with scars of different kinds, some longer than others and some resembling wicked burns. But despite all the markings on his skin, the only thing to truly stand out was the tattoo that started on his chest over his heart and dipped over a shoulder, pooling over his back in delicate arches.

The tattoo was two purple Dragons, twisting over Tobikuma's heart possessively before their long bodies twined over his back. Tobikuma had gotten it to match Kimiko's after she had passed, wanting something of his wife to hold onto. It was the only thing left that physically represented her and her twin Dragons other than photos.

When the three of them were all set, Tobikuma flexed his arms before crouching low, beckoning to Hanzo and Genji. "Well? Don't keep me waiting."

Like always they were to fight their father together until Tobikuma beat them or they managed to take their father down, which had yet to happen. And like they always did before they charged their father, Genji and Hanzo shared an equal look of displeasure. They were definitely going to be bruised after this.

"My stomach, it hurts so muuuch." Genji whined, flopping an arm over his eyes.

He was lying on his back, trying hard not to move and aggravate the growing bruises on his body. Beside him lay Hanzo, not doing any better. He was grimacing, body limp and his hair no longer tied together neatly. Instead clumps stuck to his sweaty forehead and cheeks, other parts sticking up haphazardly. Genji's hair was no better, looking like he had stuffed a fork into a light socket.

* * *

"This is your fault." Hanzo mumbled bitterly.

Genji laughed at that, but instantly regretted it when pain flared up. "My fault? I just got punished for pulling a prank with Zenyatta, you think I'm that eager to get another? We're both at fault here, stupid Hanzo."

"Don't call me stupid."

"Stupid." Genji moved his leg, kicking Hanzo's ankle pathetically.

"You're the stupid one here, stupid Genji." Hanzo snapped, kicking Genji back.

They threw insults back and forth, doing no more moving than making a feeble attempt at kicking each other. However, when Hanzo shifted onto his side slightly, he let out a small cry and instantly went still.

"Oto-san… Really didn't go easy." He mumbled.

"Does he ever? He's like you in the whole ' _no enemy will hold back in a real fight_ ' mind-set." Glancing to the side, Genji looked at the small circular window hanging just below the rafters. He groaned at the sight of the orange-tinted sky, indicating that their sparring had gone on for at least a few hours. As much as Genji wanted to stay there and rest, possibly even fall into a coma, he had a mission he needed to accomplish.

Forcing himself into a sitting position, Genji whined before he pulled himself up onto wobbly legs. Hanzo opened his eyes to watch Genji, a brow raised curiously as his younger brother began smoothing down his hair into a semi-decent state.

As he watched Genji slowly hobble towards the entrance, Hanzo spoke up. "And where are you going?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes," Hanzo grimaced, grinding his teeth as he propped himself up. "It does. If you are planning on bothering those monks again, I will have no choice but to stop you. And that's the last thing you want, Genji."

"You know, you would be somewhat intimidating if you weren't wallowing on the floor acting like you got hit by a bus. Which, if I think about it, would probably be less painful." Genji tossed over his shoulder, waving a hand as he finally made it to the door. "Don't wait up!"

"Genji-!"

But Genji didn't bother to stay and see if Hanzo had anything else to say. He slipped from the training area, slowly limping towards the guest rooms. Genji rubbed his stomach where his father hand landed an extremely powerful kick, vaguely wondering how he hadn't coughed up his lunch yet.

The trek towards where Zenyatta's window was located was an extremely long one. And as Genji stood under the window, he felt another whine pull from his throat and the urge to cry. He seriously didn't think he could climb up to the window without his arms giving out. But when Genji saw that the window was open, he felt something warm swell in his chest. It might've just been wishful thinking, but Genji liked to think that Zenyatta left the window open in case he decided to pop by.

So, after taking a deep breath, Genji jumped up and began scaling the side of the wall. It took longer than he'd like, but when he finally made it to Zenyatta's window, he tried very hard to gracefully slip in. Genji liked to think he managed such a feat, even if he stumbled a bit when his feet touched the ground.

"Oh, Genji! I was wondering when you would be arriving."

Zenyatta had been lighting candles, but he paused for a moment in order to watch Genji. The young Shimada offered the monk a grin, moving over to sit at the table.

He hummed, "Yep, here I am! Sorry it took so long, I actually intended to come earlier. But… Sparring with my brother and father took longer than I thought."

Tilting his head, Zenyatta let out a curious sound. "Oh? And how did that go?" He asked, resuming his candle lighting.

"Painful," Genji groaned, resting the side of his face on the table. The cool wood did wonders for his aching face. "My father is crazy good at hand-to-hand combat, so sparring with him is always intense. He gives his all in pretty much everything he does."

Zenyatta seemed surprise, his movements stilling. He waved out the match, placing the burnt stick in the trash bin before he sat on the pile of cushions a few feet from Genji.

"That must be very difficult, but I am sure it pays off in the long run?"

Genji grunted, "Yeah. My reflexes are even better thanks to my dad." Pursing his lips, Genji stared at the Omnic for a while longer, watching him get comfortable in his seat. "So, I came by to ask if you wanted to go hang out. I know some really cool places that I'm sure you'll love."

Zenyatta tilted his head in the way that told Genji he was smiling. "Thank you for the offer, Genji. But I'm afraid I can't do that for two reasons."

"Oh? And what are those?"

"Well," Zenyatta hummed, tucking his feet in so he was sitting in lotus position. "Mondatta has expressed his concern at letting me wonder around by myself, so he's requested that I have Hibiscus around with me whenever I plan on going somewhere."

Genji shot up into a sitting position, sputtering in indignation. "What?! That's basically saying Mondatta is settling you with a babysitter!"

The light laughter from Zenyatta helped quell some of Genji's displeasure, brightening his mood slightly. "I understand where your ire comes from, but Mondatta means no ill will. He is just very protective when it comes to those he cares about. I am sure you can sympathise. Besides, it was either Hibiscus or Mondatta. As much as I love spending time with my brother, I could not ask for him to follow along whenever I wish to go somewhere. He is quite busy handling the speeches and organizing them, I would rather not add more stress to his plate."

Despite being unhappy with the knowledge that he would have to take Hibiscus with him if he wanted to take Zenyatta out on a date, Genji was at least a smidgen glad that it wasn't Mondatta playing as Zenyatta's babysitter. Huffing, Genji slumped forward, pouting profusely.

"And what was the other reason you can't go out?"

Zenyatta hummed at this, gesturing towards the candles slowly burning in the room. "Well as you can see, I had just started to light the candles so I could have my evening meditation. I put it off last night in order to carry out our prank, but I'm afraid I can't continue to do so. It would be a bad habit of me to develop."

Genji grimaced, "Meditating? That's what's so important?"

' **Well what did you expect, Little Sparrow? He is a monk.** ' Genji's Dragon purred in the back of his mind.

Ignoring the beast, Genji instead scooted over towards Zenyatta till he was sitting in front of the Omnic. "Do you meditate often?"

Nodding to his question, Zenyatta inclined his head towards Genji. "I try to, at least. I find it important to focus on oneself when the need arises, even if it is just to center myself and organize my thoughts. I tend to try and meditate when I wake up and before I go to sleep, sometimes in the evenings if I truly need it."

"But it's so boring," Genji scrunched up his face in displeasure, "You just sit there for hours and do nothing."

"That isn't inherently true, Genji."

Genji shrugged his shoulders, leaning back on the palm of his hands and biting back a wince at the strain it put on his arms. "Well it is for me. I've never been able to sit still for too long. My fidgeting drives my brother crazy when he's meditating."

"Oh?" Zenyatta's head tilted in confusion, the bewilderment practically radiating from the Omnic. "Is there a reason why you struggle with meditating?"

Genji hummed at this, looking up at the ceiling and lulling his head from side to side as he thought of an answer. "I've never been good at clearing my head, I guess. My thoughts are always jumbled together and I'm always too focused on them. It's like a beehive up in here," He tapped the side of his head for emphasis.

Zenyatta folded his hands on his lap, chuckling softly at the analogy. "While that does sound quite troublesome, I do believe that even bees need their rest once in a while. If you'd like, you could join me in meditating? It might not do anything for you, but it couldn't hurt to try. Perhaps a change in environment or company is what you needed to be able to meditate to your fullest?"

As much as Genji wanted to decline the invitation, he just couldn't bring himself to do it. It definitely had nothing to do with the fact Genji didn't want to disappoint Zenyatta! No, it was probably because Genji needed to get in Zenyatta's good graces in order to woo him. That was the only reason why Genji said yes and let Zenyatta help him settle into a more comfortable position for meditating.

Genji closed his eyes, brows furring as he tried to remember everything his teachers had said about meditating. Genji was so focused on forcing his breathing to be even that he almost didn't hear the soft chuckle from Zenyatta. Suddenly the Omnic had a hand pressed gently to Genji's chest, startling the other.

"Forgive me, but I could tell you were struggling a bit. Genji, your focus is on trying to control your breathing. You don't need to control your breath, let it come naturally. Your focus should be on the sensation of your breathing, not your breath itself." Zenyatta murmured softly, his tone gentle as he instructed Genji. "Breath in slowly for three counts, and then exhale for three. It should help you settle into a rhythm."

Genji nodded dumbly, slightly dazed from the tingling feeling radiating from the Omnic's hand on his chest. It was probably because Zenyatta was pressing lightly on a bruise. That was Genji's only explanation.

Letting his eyes close, Genji breathed in time with Zenyatta's counting. After a while of this, Zenyatta's counting soon died out and he removed his hand from Genji's person. He didn't have time to miss the contact, too busy counting his breathing in his head. But soon he even stopped counting and instead focused on the feeling of the air filling and leaving his lungs.

The sound of soft, tinkling chimes filled the room and was beginning to lull Genji into a state of peace. Though his body didn't slump, he felt his mind actually relaxing for once. His breathing began to even and, maybe it was Zenyatta's presence or those wind chimes, but Genji actually felt his thoughts soften in their incessant buzzing. They passed through his mind without much fuss, though a few of them stuck. One that refused to budge and move on was the single question, "When did Zenyatta hang wind chimes in the room".

Genji's eyes cracked open, curiosity getting the better of him now that he was focusing on the soft tinkling. It sounded oddly close and, if Genji thought about it, there really wasn't any wind blowing. None that he could feel, anyways. When Genji's eyes zeroed in on the Omnic in front of him, they widened so much they might've popped out of his head.

"Holy shit!" Genji cried, startling Zenyatta.

The large mala around Zenyatta's neck where no longer there, but were gently floating around the Omnic in a lazy circle. Some had been jumping lightly, soft chimes coming from the orbs. Yet at Genji's yell, Zenyatta jumped and gasped in response. The orbs stuttered in their orbit before dropping to the ground, rolling in all directions.

Zenyatta had a hand pressed to his chassis, almost as if to quell a heart that was beating erratically. His fans were wiring fast, his processors trying to keep up with what had startled him.

"Zen, your orb things! They were floating! And singing!" Genji said excitedly, picking one up in order to inspect it. He twisted it this way and that, tossing it up in the air to see if it would float again. He was very disappointed when gravity pulled it back down to drop in Genji's hand.

With his fans no longer spinning like he had run a marathon, Zenyatta cleared his voice box, settling a hand over Genji's, keeping him from tossing the orb up again. "Yes, that would appear to be the case. Though Genji, would you mind keeping your voice down? I do not want to draw attention from the other monks."

Genji quickly nodded, watching Zenyatta's shoulders slump and the Omnic sighing. Genji managed to be quiet for all of two seconds before he was bombarding the monk with questions.

"So how did they do that? Do they move on their own? Do they float all the time? Did **you** do that? Can you control them like magic? Was it magic? Or are they magnetic? Did you control them with magnetics? Are you magnetic?"

Zenyatta held up a hand, waiting patiently for the questions to cease, his body slightly tense. "Genji, my friend, I promise you there is no magic or magnets involved. My orbs are connected to me as I am connected to them. My concentration and energy is what allows them to move, among other things."

With a small wave of his hand, the mala began rolling back to Zenyatta, floating lazily into the air before they were settled around his neck. The orb in Genji's hand lifted to join the others while Genji watched with rapt attention. Leaning forward, Genji let out a sound of excitement.

"That's so cool! So you're pretty much controlling them with your mind?" He asked, looking up at Zenyatta.

"In a way…"

"What else can you do with them?" Genji was practically bouncing with excitement, his hand reaching out to brush the mala.

Zenyatta shifted in his seated position, looking off to the side. "Well… I can tell you… But you must promise me not to tell anyone else. I am afraid of the negative backlash it may cause if such knowledge got out. There are many that still do not trust Omnics, learning the abilities I have just might further their fears, which is something I never wish to happen."

Genji thought it made sense, so he had no problem agreeing. Grinning at Zenyatta, Genji offered a reassuring laugh. "Don't worry, I won't tell a soul. After all, you haven't told my secret, it's only right I give you the same amount of courtesy."

The relief that came off of Zenyatta was evident in the way his body seemed to lose some of its tension. Zenyatta tilted his head in a smile, one that Genji mirrored. "Thank you, Genji. I trust you to keep it a secret."

With wide eyes, Genji watched as Zenyatta held out his hands. Two orbs broke off from the chain around his neck, each one settling into the palm of his hands.

"Besides being able to make them move and levitate, I tend to use them in combat or to provide aid when the need arises."

A few words stuck out to Genji, but the main one he focused on was combat. "Wait wait, combat? You fight?"

Humming, Zenyatta took a moment to figure out how he wanted to word this. "Yes… I am not like Mondatta when it comes to pacifism. Though he would rather use words to settle disputes, I am aware that sometimes you cannot do anything with words if the other party refuses to listen. But I do not always chose to fight first, like Hibiscus. I only fight if there is no other option left that I have yet to try. I would rather avoid violence if I can help it, but I am not afraid to fight if it means protecting those in need."

Genji slowly nodded his head, digesting the information. "That's… Really awesome of you."

Chuckling, Zenyatta mumbled a thank you before continuing. "While in combat, I can throw them at my opponent. And while that does hurt, it is not the only option I have should I need to be on the offensive. I can avoid using them altogether and just fight in hand-to-hand combat, but I am rather rusty when it comes to that. Another thing I can do is provide an Orb of Discord."

Suddenly the orb in his left hand turned a dark, ominous purple colour. It pulsed sickly, giving Genji enough bad vibes that even his Dragon was hissing at the dark energy radiating from it. Genji, his curiosity getting the better of him, tentatively reached a hand out to touch it. He didn't even brushed the orb before Zenyatta was holding it away from Genji, shaking his head as if to say "no touching".

"On the other hand, if an ally is in need of aid, I can provide them an Orb of Harmony." As he said this, the orb in his right hand took on a golden glow. Genji instantly felt warmth radiating from the orb, the pulsing from it seeming inviting and gentler than its counterpart.

Genji's Dragon quickly urged him to touch the warm one, but Genji hesitated in order to look at Zenyatta for permission. "What's it do?"

Zenyatta inclined is head towards Genji, the orb coated in purple losing the venomous colour and returning to its faint blue hue. The orb floated back to Zenyatta's neck while the golden one lifted from his hand. With a small push of his hand, the orb floated over Genji and hung just above his shoulder.

As Genji looked up at it curiously, he was instantly bathed in a tantalizing warmth that did wonders for his aching body. He let out a groan of delight, slumping in on himself. It was like the knots and bruises coating his body were slowly being worked out with warm, gentle hands. He sighed blissfully, instantly missing the warmth when the orb pulled away in order to return back to the others.

"An Orb of Harmony can heal physical wounds if they aren't too severe, or they can simply boost good feelings within whoever has the orb on them. An Orb of Discord is the opposite, it induces its holder to have purely negative feelings. Anything dark in their mind is brought to the surface and amplified." Zenyatta folded his hands on his lap again, humming. "My orbs do not affect me, however. My Orb of Discord does not incur dark feelings within me, but the same can be said about my Orb of Harmony. It cannot heal me should I need it."

Genji processed the information with awe written into the way he quirked his brow and his mouth hung open slightly. "That's… Seriously amazing!" Genji exclaimed, grinning so wide his cheeks hurt. But now that Genji thought about it, his cheeks were the only thing to hurt. His limbs didn't feel sluggish or sore, in fact there was only a dull ache! So that Orb of Harmony really did seem to heal his wounds!

Zenyatta chuckled at Genji's enthusiasm, "Again, thank you. And thank you for listening."

Suddenly, Genji felt his Dragon stir in excitement. Flashes of feelings and thoughts in his mind gave Genji an understanding of what had his Dragon so riled up. It wanted to see Zenyatta in combat. His Dragon wanted to see the way the monk would twist and turn, trying to dodge an attack or dishing out one of his own.

"We should spar!" Genji blurted.

Zenyatta's surprise was palpable, "Oh… Well… I'm not sure about that, Genji… I surly wouldn't be a decent opponent. I'm beyond rusty and-."

"Don't care," Genji said, cutting him off. "I can help you get better! Plus you'd also be helping me train! It's a win-win for the both of us!"

Though it was more of a win for Genji, seeing as how he wanted to see Zenyatta fight. Plus, what better way to have an "accidentally intimate" situation happen then during sparing? Genji had experience with such a thing, so he knew it'd work without a doubt.

Zenyatta still seemed hesitant, his unease present in the way his form was hunched. "I'm still not sure…"

"I promise it'll be fine! Here, how about this, we'll compromise!" Genji grinned, rocking forward in his eagerness. "If I continue to come here and join you in your nightly meditation, you have to promise we'll spar!"

Zenyatta had to admit it was a tempting offer, he wouldn't exactly mind the company. Though Mondatta would most likely blow a fuse if he learned Zenyatta was pretty much fighting the son of their host. Plus he would have to have Hibiscus with him or else Mondatta would be the one to insist on sticking by Zenyatta's side. Zenyatta loved his brother dearly, but even he could get fed up with Mondatta and how he could sometimes become slightly overbearing with his protectiveness.

"Please, Zen?" Genji clasped his hands in front of him, giving Zenyatta his best puppy-dog eyes. Batting his eyelashes pleadingly, Genji let out a few whimpers to try and seal the deal.

Zenyatta laughed at the display, unable to help himself. "You are incorrigible… But I admit defeat. Though remember that Hibiscus will have to join us. And knowing her, she'll insist on sparing as well."

Now that was interesting. Genji wouldn't deny that he also wanted to see Hibiscus fight, though not as much as he wanted to see Zenyatta. So, with a grin, Genji merely shrugged.

"Yeah, that sounds fine!"

With that settled, Genji eased back into a comfortable position, shaking out his shoulders. "Alright, let's get back to this meditation thing!" He grinned, a new fire burning through his veins.

A chuckle left Zenyatta as he too settled back into a proper lotus position. Genji peeked an eye open in order to watch how Zenyatta's form relaxed. Slowly his orbs descended from around his neck and began their chime-filled march around the Omnic. Genji bit his lip, it seriously was the coolest thing he's ever seen. Genji could only imagine how they'd look in a battle setting. He couldn't wait, anticipation prickling along his skin in delightful shivers.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: A shortish chapter just establishing things for future chapters.

* * *

Genji bit back a groan as he slipped from the sleek black car, closing the door and fixing his suit. He huffed, looking at the cleared space filled with seats for the speech, workers running back and forth to get things set up and mics ready. At the far end of the wide clearing, Genji could see a stage with a podium, Mondatta standing next to it while someone was talking to him, most likely one of the stagehands. There were humans and Omnics alike scattered around in some of the empty seats, most likely having arrived early so they could get good spots to watch the speeches.

It had been two days since Genji was ordered to go to this event, the previous day going by at a snail's pace. Though Genji was adamant that it had nothing to do with the fact that he didn't hang out with Zenyatta. The Omnic had been busy all day yesterday, he and the other Shimbali monks going out here and practicing the rundown of the speeches and the times they'd be talking.

Genji had sulked for a good portion of the day, but a barrage of texts from his friends gained his attention. Genji had went out with them to the arcade and, after some pressing from Jiro, informed his friends proudly that he was already making moves on his chosen monk. Naoki didn't seem to share in the amusement Jiro and the others had about the fact that there were Omnic monks with those kind of parts. Instead he gave a strained smile and seemed to close off when Jiro had started spewing about how the Omnics might've been sex workers before they joined the Shimbali.

Though he had no clue why Naoki had issues with it, Genji knew he was also a little uncomfortable with that. After all, didn't that mean Zenyatta had been a sex worker? Why else would he have parts designated to instil pleasure? But just the thought of Zenyatta being used like that had an uncomfortable weight settling in the pit of his stomach. He was dying to know why Zenyatta had those parts, but it would probably be seen as rude and intrusive if he suddenly sprung that into conversation. Plus he'd then have to explain how he knew Zenyatta had those parts in the first place. That was a road Genji did not want to travel down, especially with how it would ruin any chances he had with the Omnic.

So Genji decided the best way to figure out Zenyatta's past would be to ask Zenyatta directly. It wouldn't hurt to show some curiosity on the Omnic's previous occupation before he joined the Shimbali. If anything, maybe Zenyatta would like the fact that Genji was showing some interest in him. It would surely win him points with the Omnic, plus he'd also be satisfying his curiosity, so it was a double win for him.

But he didn't have the time to ask yesterday, not even when he slipped into Zenyatta's room to honour his promise of nightly meditation. And with today being the day of the speeches, Zenyatta was going to be extremely busy and have absolutely no time for Genji. Though the upside was that the speeches were only going to last for about four hours and not the entire day. Each of the Shimbali monks were to do some form of a speech, starting with Mondatta and then ending with him as the closing.

Genji was required to stand at the stage a few feet behind the podium. He would be in view of the crowd and cameras, but he would also be close enough that he could push the monk out of the way should someone try and attack them. Genji was guiltily hoping it would happen, if only to liven up his day a bit.

Genji made his way to the back of the stage where a lot of the monks were huddled together chatting with each other. Genji glanced over the many unmovable faces in order to find the one Omnic he actually wanted to talk to. He could see Zenyatta standing off to the side with Hibiscus, the two of them seeming to be in a heated discussion.

As Genji drew closer, he managed to catch the tail end of what they were talking about.

"I'm just saying, **we** follow the Iris and an iris is part of an eye, and **that** organisation follows a giant eye-."

"I am quite sure it was a pyramid with an eye."

"You get my point! Anyways, what if that means we're maybe following the same thing! What if we're actually just a branch of their group? What if they're a branch off of ours?" Hibiscus gasped, placing a hand over her faceplate. "Conspiracy!"

Zenyatta sighed, shaking his head. "Hibiscus, while I admire how you managed to jump to that conclusion, I don't believe that's the case. We're a gathering of monks, they're an occult."

Hibiscus shrugged her shoulders, "Same thing."

She ignored the groan that came from Zenyatta, instead looking over her shoulder at the approaching man. Instantly spinning around, Hibiscus placed her hands on her hips. Again Genji got the feeling she was grinning at him, especially with the way she hummed appreciatively when Genji stopped in front of them.

"Genji! Glad you could make it. And might I say you look wonderful in a suit!" She giggled, making a show of looking Genji up and down.

Genji grinned, adjusting his vest with an exaggerated flourish. He was dressed nicely in a black suit with tasteful green accents. Against his white button up rested a tie, also green, and slightly messed up from his fidgeting in the car. Genji had his hair slicked back from his face, adding further to his attractive appearance. Of course Genji looked wonderful in a suit, he was made to look good.

Ever the charmer, Genji flashed Hibiscus his signature grin and gave a flourish of a bow. "Why thank you, Hibiscus. You look stunning as well! I love your cheongsam."

Hibiscus chuckled, "Oh how sweet of you. My systems are practically overheating." It was obvious she was sarcastic, she even went the extra mile and pretended to fan herself.

The Omnic was dressed in an ankle-length mermaid cheongsam. It was pure white with crimson designs twisting up and winding over the fabric. The flowers looked to be a mixture of lotuses and orchids, the lotuses starting at the bottom of the dress while the orchids were scattered about in delicate ways. The dress looked wonderful on her, meshing well with her frame's design and already delicate-looking nature.

"Say what you will about irony, but I was manufactured in China, so I might as well wear an outfit from my homeland!" She hummed, striking a pose for some flare. "Zenyatta's the same too! He and Mondatta were made in the same factory as I was. We're factory siblings." She added with a gush, tugging Zenyatta over and rubbing the side of her faceplate against the taller Omnic's.

Zenyatta placed a placating hand on her shoulders, trying to pry her off. "Hibiscus please, you wouldn't want to mess up your dress before the speeches."

Genji instantly snatched that little bit of information on Zenyatta and stored it away. So he was from China? It wasn't a bad way to start a conversation. He could just ask about Zenyatta's life in China and what caused him and Mondatta to migrate to Nepal. Though as he focused on the outfit Zenyatta was wearing, his brain suddenly decided to shut down.

Zenyatta was dressed in, surprisingly, a white cheongsam blouse with yellow lotuses scattered on the smooth fabric. His legs were wrapped in a pair of pristine, black slacks, hugging his frame slightly. He didn't seem at all bothered with the fact that he was wearing a shirt traditionally worn by women. If anything, he seemed quite comfortable in it, almost like he was used to wearing such things.

"Zen," Genji cleared his throat, trying to find his voice. Why was his mouth suddenly dry? Maybe he was coming down with something. "You look amazing."

"Oh, thank you." Zenyatta ducked his head shyly, hands coming up to nervously pick at the end of his blouse. "This is Hibiscus' shirt. She wanted someone to dress up with her, so I volunteered as I lack anything worthy of such a grandiose event. Hibiscus seems to have an outfit for any occasion. Though, I'll admit I haven't worn a cheongsam in a few years."

Hibiscus cackled, grabbing Zenyatta by the shoulders and shoving him towards Genji. "He looks stunning, right? Right? Compliment him some more, I'm going to go check out those guards. Did you see the muscles on that one? She could bench-press me without breaking a sweat."

The Omnic quickly scurried over to the aforementioned guard, leaving a stunned Genji to look between her retreating form and Zenyatta.

"Uh…" He said smartly, blinking. "She's… Got some great taste?" Because what else was he supposed to say?

Zenyatta chuckled, shaking his head fondly. "The Iris help her… Hibiscus is very… Social. She isn't one to linger on the gender… Or if they're Omnic or human. No matter what she might say to make you believe differently, Hibiscus likes to judge another's character before she flirts with them."

Genji instantly grinned, stuffing his hands into his slack's pockets. "Well that's something we have in common. I'm pretty open to any relationship, Omnic or human."

For added measure, he sent a suggestive wink towards Zenyatta. The Omnic tilted his head at Genji and chuckled in amusement. He gently hit Genji's arm with his hand, pretending to be scolding.

"Of course that's the part you stick on."

Genji laughed, opening his mouth to respond. But for better or for worse, he didn't have the chance to. Mondatta was just being ushered backstage by the stagehand, the short female calling out saying that people were now arriving in clusters and that they had around 10 minutes to get ready. She waved a hand to Genji, gesturing for him to come over.

"Master Shimada, follow me! I will show you where you need to stand!"

Genji made a move to go over to her, but stopped when he felt a hand on his arm. Turning, he curiously tilted his head as Zenyatta hummed, clearly hesitating.

"What is it?" He asked.

Lifting his head up to seemingly lock eyes with Genji, Zenyatta lifted his hands, having made a decision. "Pardon me," He said as he took a step into Genji's space.

Instantly Genji stiffened, his breath catching in his throat. He watched with wide eyes as Zenyatta's hands found his tie, gently fixing it with deft movements before tucking it back into his suit and smoothing out any wrinkles that might've been there. Satisfied, Zenyatta nodded his head and patted Genji's chest, giving him his head-tilt smile.

"There, it's fixed. We wouldn't want you going out in public with a messy tie." He chuckled, taking a step back.

"Uh… Yeah. Thanks."

Genji was in a slight daze as he followed after the stagehand, only vaguely hearing her tell him to stand here. She might've also told him the rundown of the event, but Genji wasn't really paying attention. He was too busy trying to figure out why his cheeks were burning and why his Dragon had wrapped itself in coils. Was the thing embarrassed over Zenyatta fixing his tie? Was Genji embarrassed?

' _Don't be stupid_ ,' He thought, shaking his head and huffing. ' _There's no way I'm embarrassed over something so silly. Me, the one who went streaking to win a bet. I've done far more things I should be embarrassed about! Simply having some Omnic fix my tie shouldn't make me feel flustered. And it certainly shouldn't have you tying yourself in knots, you stupid lizard!_ '

Genji scowled, sending his Dragon a mental glare. Genji got the vague impression his Dragon mocked him, but he couldn't be too sure. It was hard to focus on the spirit's words when the thing was growling and whining between every other sound it made. Genji shook his head again, deciding he wasn't going to even bother with that. He pushed his Dragon from his mind, ignoring it in favour of watching the slowly gathering crowd.

In no time at all the clearing was filled up, an excited murmur falling over the crowd as they settled in their seats. Some of the people aware of who Genji was pointed at him, whispering furiously to each other about the implications this could mean. Genji rolled his eyes, sighing as he tucked his arms behind his back. Well at least his father's plan was working.

A hush fell over the crowd as Mondatta made his way out onto stage, nodding his head in greeting to Genji, who shared the motion. Mondatta settled his hands behind his back, assessing the crowd for a moment before he began his speech.

"Human, Omnic, all are one within the Iris. For it is the Iris that gives us life and embraces us in all that we do."

The crowd erupted in cheering and, not trying to quell their excitement, Mondatta waited a few moments before speaking. "I would first like to thank our hosts at the Shimada castle. They have done everything they can to make our time in Japan as enjoyable as possible."

At this, he turned his head to acknowledge Genji, bowing slightly to him. Genji was quick to straighten his stance and return the bow. When the two righted themselves, Mondatta went back to his speech. Genji might've tuned the Omnic out, using one of his many skills of acting like he was paying attention, but he was actually lost in his own head. Something he had perfected when dealing with Hanzo. He was pretty much playing a mental card game with his Dragon, vaguely thinking it was Old Maid before his Dragon switched to the rules of Poker. It was a thoroughly confusing experience, but it somehow managed to let Genji pass the time.

However, the moment Mondatta began to wrap up his speech and introduce the next Omnic that would be talking, Genji perked up slightly. Mondatta held out a hand towards the back curtain, waiting patiently as Hibiscus strolled out with her head held high and a regal air about her. She took Mondatta's hand, letting him escort her the rest of the way to the podium. He leaned in slightly to whisper something to her, making sure to keep it so low the mics wouldn't pick up on it.

Genji managed to pick up bits and pieces since he was close enough. It was pretty much Mondatta warning Hibiscus not to lose herself and curse during her speech. From the way Hibiscus shrugged off his words, Genji suspected this wasn't the first time she heard such a lecture. The young Shimada sympathized with her on hearing the same lectures over and over, it tended to make you want to do what they told you not to do. Especially if they beat you over the head with it. Though Hibiscus seemed less spiteful than Genji, so she did indeed refrain from cursing.

"My friends, I want to thank you for coming to visit us during our stay here. It proves that the Iris' blessing is upon us since so many came to hear our words." She rested her hands on the podium, tilting her head to the side. "I'm afraid I don't have a speech to tell you about how to better understand the world around you, or anything about wisdom. I'm a simple Omnic, one that has fought with all my might to find a place where I belong. So, since I don't have anything insightful to say, let me tell you a story."

She cleared her voice box, waiting a few moments to gather her wits. "When I first woke up, it was in a factory where I was getting checked to make sure I was functioning properly. The workers than put me to sleep and I didn't wake up till I was shipped where I needed to be. I was made for entertainment, an Omnic that is supposed to dance around and never tire. To catch the eye of all and to do nothing but dance, day after day. I had a feeling of emptiness inside of me, of a dead weight that I couldn't shake. I didn't want to dance like some puppet for others. I wanted to dance for myself. I fought to shake off my programming, to tell myself that I wasn't just a machine, but a soul with a carbon casing instead of flesh.

"I fought to create my own self the way I saw fit, to dress how I wanted. When the Shimbali was created, I saw another fight on the horizon. But I did not regret joining my brother's cause, for it is thanks to him I found the will to fight in the first place. I managed to win my fights, but there were still more battles out there. So I decided to fight for Omnic rights, for the rights the Iris believes we all deserve. The Iris does not favour one over the other, we are all equal. The Iris embraces all, no matter your background or who you are as a person. There is no one the Iris will shun."

The crowd began humming and murmuring their consent, nodding their heads to her words. Hibiscus let her head lull to the side, a move Genji instantly knew was a smile.

Straightening her shoulders, Hibiscus' voice rose as passion began filling it. "So I ask you to fight in your own way! Even if it is fighting for something simple like the urge to get up in the morning! Fight for that! The small battles pay off in the long run! Do not count the failures and think that's all you'll amount to. Count every victory, big or small! If you have the ability to eat and you managed to eat that day, count that as a victory! If you managed to clean up your room, that is a victory! No matter how little it is, a victory is a victory! Use that to motivate you to go out and fight for more! Fight for the rights of your brothers and sisters, fight for the right to express yourself. Fight for your happiness! Fight to protect, to defend, to support! Do not fight because you seek violence, fight because you want to better the world. Create a world so that in the future, you won't have to fight anymore."

Hibiscus gave a small bow to signal the end of her speech and, like a forest fire, the cheers began to spread at an alarming rate. Some of the crowd was standing up, apparently finding Hibiscus' speech to resound deep within them. Genji smiled, offering a small clap as Hibiscus introduced the next Omnic giving a speech, before skipping off the stage.

Genji's attention was fully on Zenyatta as he strolled out slowly, seeming quite happy with the previous two speeches. He stopped in front of the podium, watching as the excitement gradually dimmed down to something easier to talk over. The first thing he did instead of talk, however, was laugh. Hearing that sweet sound amplified by microphones had Genji almost purring in delight. He quickly caught himself, clearing his throat and biting the inside of his cheek. What the heck was wrong with him today?

"Forgive me for laughing, but I cannot seem to find any other way to express the joy I am feeling. We are truly blessed to have such a large amount of citizens willing to listen to us. I know sitting through long speeches can be very tiring, thank the Iris there's an intermission after every hour." He giggled.

This garnered a few chuckles from the crowd, Genji included. He smiled lightly as he watched Zenyatta speak, the Omnic seemingly able to charm the crowd in a matter of seconds.

Zenyatta let his laughter trickle out, still keeping his head tilted in a smile. "Though I apologized for laughing, I truly don't think there's anything to be sorry about. Laughter is wonderful in every sense of the word. It lets you know someone is enjoying themselves to the fullest. Hearing another's laugh is hearing them express the utmost delight. I find that to be a very beautiful think, for each laugh is different and unique.

"But sometimes one can struggle to laugh, and that isn't something to be ashamed of. There are times where laughter cannot happen, no matter how much you want it to. I personally know of such times where laughter evaded me. At moments I believed my happiness to be lost, any expression of joy I could muster was stilted and strained. And no matter what I tried, I could not find it within me to laugh."

Something clenched in Genji's chest, his grip on his wrist tightening. The thought of Zenyatta no longer laughing was a depressing and scary concept. Even if Genji hadn't known Zenyatta for that long, barely a week, he had already grown addicted to the Omnic's laugh. The sound akin to gentle bells dancing in the wind's breeze was beyond soothing and nice to listen to. It was a sound Genji enjoyed more than he'd like to admit. So the concept of that sound ceasing, of no longer existing, it was enough to make a bitter feeling settle in Genji's stomach.

Zenyatta looked down at his hands, folding the dainty limbs atop the podium. "However, when I thought myself to be lost, I found the embrace of the Iris. I soon came to realize that it had always been with me, every step of the way. With its help, I managed to find peace within myself. I also managed to learn that it was ok that I felt sorrow, there was nothing wrong or broken with me. Feeling emotions is a wonderful gift, even if some are less pleasing than others. The Iris believes in embracing all, the good and the bad, so maybe the same should be believed within ourselves? The good and the bad that make up who you are, they are a part of you, even if you don't want them to be. To shun them is to shun yourself, and that is a painful thing to do. You are your own worst enemy."

A hush fell over the crowd as everyone listened to Zenyatta's speech with rapt attention, clinging to every word like a lifeline. Zenyatta was quite, seeming to be searching for words. As Genji studied how he fidgeted with his hands, he almost assumed that Zenyatta was nervous. Feeling slightly brave and maybe just a bit stupid, Genji hissed to get Zenyatta's attention.

"Psst! Zen!" His voice was barely above a whisper, but Zenyatta apparently heard him.

The Omnic glanced slightly over his shoulder at Genji, watching the young Shimada flash him an encouraging grin and a thumbs up. Zenyatta's demeanour seemed to brighten and he faced forward, head now held high and his voice more confident.

"But that doesn't mean you have to believe that the bad things that are a part of you, are all you are. Everyone has some bad in them, but it's up to you if you follow down that path, or follow the path that you deem is 'good'." Zenyatta spent a while longer talking, this time about the Iris and some of its teachings, managing to word it in a way that left the audience intrigued and wanting to learn more. Even Genji was curious to learn about the topic.

After Zenyatta spoke, a few more monks came to talk, their speeches about things mostly related to the Shimbali. Genji pretty much tuned them out again until a stagehand announced they'd be having an intermission. Genji only had a few minutes to relax, get some water, and stretch out his limbs before he was back to standing and smiling in front of the cameras. He was so thoroughly bored, letting his eyes roam over the crowd in a lazy manner.

Brown eyes widened slightly when he spotted Naoki, the tall male sitting closer to the front. But that wasn't what surprised Genji. What surprised him was the Omnic that was hanging on Naoki's arm, seeming to be excitedly bouncing in their seat as they would occasionally turn and say something to the human. Naoki would smile at whatever was said, saying something back before he coaxed the Omnic to look towards the speakers again.

At one point Naoki lifted a hand to pat the Omnic's face, leaning in to place a kiss to their head. Genji's eyes almost bugged out of his skull at the sight, but he instantly hid his shock when Naoki turned his focus onto Genji. He didn't seem at all surprised that Genji was staring at him, if anything he merely inclined his head to signal a greeting towards Genji before looking back to the monk that was speaking.

For the rest of the speech, Genji's mind whirled around what he had just witnessed. Naoki was here with an Omnic, but they appeared to be more than just friends. Ok, nothing wrong with that there. But then that meant that when Jiro and the others made fun of Omnics, they were unintentionally attacking Naoki's lover. But why hadn't Naoki said anything then? Genji would've told Jiro to cut it out with his jokes about Omnics if Naoki had said something!

Genji was so wrapped up in this reveal that the moment he got home, he didn't even wait to take off his suit before he was calling Naoki. It rang for a minute before Naoki picked up, sighing before anything.

" _I figured you'd call sooner or later._ "

"Naoki! What the heck?! How come you never told me you were dating an Omnic! I thought we were friends!" Genji wouldn't deny that he was feeling a little hurt his friend of five – almost six years, hadn't told him such an important detail.

Naoki sighed again, clicking his tongue. " _Of course we're friends, Genji. But think about it from my point of view. Here you are, dating an Omnic while your friends are around the corner making fun of Omnics and treating their struggles as a joke. And not only that, but one of my friends dared my closest friend to bother a monk and sleep with them. Then take a picture of the whole thing in what has to be the most humiliating fashion. Genji, I know you're a good guy, don't get me wrong. But I don't want Hiro anywhere near that shit._ "

Genji bit the inside of his mouth, at a loss for words. But what could he say? It sounded extremely bad when Naoki put it like that. Hell, it made Genji seem like a huge asshole, especially when he already knew he could be a dick a good portion of the time. Genji's shoulders slumped and he ran a hand through his hair, messing it up from its gelled style.

"Naoki… Dude," Genji struggled to find words, gaping like a silly fish. "I… I don't know what to say."

" _There isn't anything **to** say, Genji. That's just how it is._" There was muffled talking on Naoki's end, a scuffling sound like Naoki had his hand over the receiver. After a few moments the scuffling sound was back, then Naoki was talking. " _Look Genji, I've got to go. But don't think that this damages our friendship in any way. I don't approve of what you're doing, at all, and I wish you'd not go through with it, but I know you won't change your mind when you have it set on something. Just… Don't tell the others about Hiro. I'm not ashamed of my relationship, don't get me wrong. I just don't want Jiro or the others to meet Hiro. Not if they keep up their shitty attitude._ "

Biting his lip, Genji hesitated before asking, "Does that count for me too? Meeting Hiro, that is…"

Naoki was silent, seeming to think hard about Genji's question. Then, after what seemed like ages, he finally spoke. " _Yeah, it does._ "

Genji felt his chest ache at hearing that. This bet was so fucked up to Naoki that he didn't even want his best friend meeting his boyfriend because of it. Yet just as Genji started to grow angry with himself and his shitty need for saying yes to every challenge, Naoki continued speaking.

 _"I… Really don't want you meeting him while you're doing this bet. From what I tell him, he thinks you're a funny guy with a good heart. I haven't told him about the bet because I know it was Jiro's goading that got it into your head. But then again, you were the dumbass that agreed to it._ "

"Ha, yeah… You're right about that." Genji chuckled lightly, expression caught between a grimace and a smile. "I get it, man. I'm doing a seriously shitty thing and you don't want your boyfriend anywhere near that. Don't worry, I don't blame you. But… I'm not going to back out from this bet."

Naoki sighed, " _Yeah, I figured you'd say that. You and your damn Shimada pride, not letting you ever go back on your word._ " He said the words without any bite, " _Listen, Genji, just promise me you'll only show the picture to Jiro, no one else. You won't post it anywhere, you won't send it to anyone, you will **not** humiliate the monk in any way than you already are. Because it is taking me everything I have to forgive you for practically tricking them into sleeping with you, just so you can win a silly bet. So if you do anything else to humiliate the monk? I'll knock your fucking teeth in._ "

It wasn't every day that Naoki threatened someone. Hell, he rarely picked fights at all. Naoki was strong, there was no doubt about that. But he wasn't the type to fight, rather he was the one who played mediator when things got harry. So hearing him threaten Genji directly was no laughing matter. Genji swallowed, his heart clenching. Though it wasn't from Naoki's threat, no it was from the thought of humiliating Zenyatta. It left a bitter taste in his mouth that refused to go away.

Genji shook his head, putting those thoughts in the back of his mind. "I promise. And fuck, if I do humiliate him, I give you permission to knock me on my ass _._ "

" _Good. Now I really do have to go. I'll talk to you later, Genji._ "

"Yeah. Bye."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I've just been picking on Genji the past few chapters. Kinda. :'D

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"Genji, how are you? Did you enjoy the speeches?" Zenyatta asked, watching the young Shimada push the window open and sit on the sill.

Genji hummed, not looking up at the Omnic monk, his conversation with Naoki still rattling around in his head. "They were fine…"

The silence in the room lengthened to the point that even Genji could tell it was bordering on uncomfortable, even with his mind occupied. Glancing up, Genji jumped at the stare Zenyatta had fixed on him. Zenyatta seemed to be observing him in curiosity, his head tilted as he continued to study Genji.

Just as the green-haired male thought he was going to have to say something, Zenyatta spoke up. "I sense disquiet in your soul, Genji. May I ask what ails you?"

It was surprising that he was apparently so transparent, Zenyatta could tell he was bothered by something. It made him a little defensive towards the other.

Genji hunched his shoulders, scowling slightly. "What makes you think my soul is upset? What if I was perfectly fine?"

"Then you would not be looking at me as if I was a threat."

This took Genji off-guard, his expression turning to that of surprise. He watched Zenyatta moved to sit at the table, an air of calm around him as he settled comfortably on a cushion. Zenyatta folded his hands on his lap, tilting his head to Genji before patting the cushion next to him.

"Come, sit. Do not feel pressured to speak, simply take this time to unwind and sort out your thoughts."

Genji hesitated, wondering what he was doing here in the first place. The moment he had gotten off the phone with Naoki, he had changed into his usual style of clothing and had found himself climbing up to Zenyatta's room. Before he could even second-guess his actions, Zenyatta was already greeting him in pleasant surprise. After all, it was barely 3 in the evening, far too early for their meditation sessions.

Slipping from his perch, Genji sat next to Zenyatta and huffed, staring pointedly at the table and avoiding the Omnic's gaze. Yet he didn't feel Zenyatta's "eyes" on him, in fact the Omnic was making it a clear point to have his faceplate pointed away from Genji. Instead it was lowered slightly, almost like he was in a state of meditation. But Genji knew he wasn't meditating fully, his mala were still dormant around his neck.

Genji bit his bottom lip, now the one who was staring. His eyes flickered over Zenyatta, from the dip of his delicate neck to the way the fabric of his robes draped over his body, keeping most of his frame from view. Genji bit the inside of his cheek, ignoring the way he was missing the blouse Zenyatta had been in earlier that day.

"Hey… Zen?"

"Hm?" Zenyatta hummed, an indication he was listening while his body did little to move.

Genji licked his lips, peeling his eyes off of Zenyatta and instead staring at the floor. He rubbed his hands together, trying to think of a way to word his thoughts.

Endlessly thankful for Zenyatta's patience, Genji began to start. "If… Someone made a bet… That they're slightly regretting because it could possibly be emotionally harmful to another party, would you think less of the person? Especially if they refused to go back on the bet because their pride dictated they never back out on their word?"

At this, Zenyatta lifted his head, his voice box making another long humming sound. "Well… I am never one to support the infliction of intentional pain on another party, especially if it was for a bet. But if this person is regretting their choice, it shows they are still aware that what they're doing is wrong and they have enough morals to address that."

"But they're still going to go through with it! That negates any good morals they may have! If anything, it makes them that much worse because they're letting their pride rule them instead of honouring their morals!" Genji snapped, instantly regretting it. He clamped his mouth shut, biting the inside of his cheek.

Zenyatta took his outburst in stride, brushing over it as if Genji hadn't yelled at all. "Pride is a double-edged sword, my friend. To wield it can give you great strength, but it can also hinder you. Sometimes even those with skill can get cut by their own blade. But that is where you must take a moment and assess what you did in order to gain such a wound. In order to move on, you must learn from your mistakes. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

Because Genji was feeling bitter at Zenyatta's wise words, he pouted childishly and glared off to the side. "Well what if they don't want to learn? There are people so set in their ways that they aren't open to suggestion."

"If you do not bend, you break." At this, Zenyatta glanced at Genji, amusement lacing his tone.

Genji felt a wry grin pull at his mouth, a sparse chuckle following after. Rolling his eyes, Genji sighed and finally relaxed. "You've got a point there," He said, leaning back on his palms and staring up at the ceiling. "So… Anything else planned for today?"

Zenyatta took a moment to go through his internal files, checking to see if he indeed had nothing of note planned for today. Finding the rest of his evening to be completely free, Zenyatta tilted his head in a smile.

"No, I am without plans for the remainder of today."

Feeling his smile turn more genuine, Genji was struck with a rather nice idea. "Well how about we go out and explore around Hanamura? I'll show you some of my favourite places to hang!"

For some reason, Genji wanted to show Zenyatta the places he liked. Though Rikimaru's was out for obvious reasons, that didn't mean Genji couldn't show Zenyatta other places. He could only hope his friends were smart enough to leave him alone while he worked his magic. Though… Who was he kidding? For one, every one of his friends, besides Naoki, hadn't even bothered to finish high school, so they weren't as smart as they could've been. And for two, Jiro and the others would do anything to embarrass and poke fun at Genji. Again, Naoki was the only one who knew when not to take it too far, though he still had fun teasing Genji. The young Shimada was beginning to think he had made a terrible choice in friends, for almost all of them seemed to be assholes.

"That sounds wonderful! I would greatly enjoy seeing where you like to frequent!"

Zenyatta's words brought him out of his thoughts. Flashing the Omnic a winning smile, he pushed the deep thoughts about friendship to the back of his mind. Now was not the time for such troublesome things. The time was now for Zenyatta and trying to show him how awesome Genji was.

Standing up, Genji offered a hand in order to help Zenyatta stand. "Great! Shall we head out?"

Zenyatta hummed, "Do not forget about my ' _babysitter'_."

At the mention of that, Genji felt his enthusiasm deflating a bit. It wasn't that he disliked Hibiscus, he thought she was rather fun! But for some reason Genji got the " _mess-with-my-little-brother-and-I'll-make-sure-no-one-finds-your-body_ " vibes from her. Which was funny because Hanzo would often send Genji's old bully's those vibes, so he should be used to it. But then again, that kind of attitude was never directed at him. And Hibiscus hadn't been outright hostile towards him, if anything she had yet to direct that kind of attitude towards Genji.

Putting on a cool smirk, Genji stuffed his hands in his pockets and shrugged, "Yeah, that's fine. Why don't we go and get her then? Check to make sure she's free?"

Just then, the door slid open with a slam and Hibiscus strolled in as if she owned the place. "No need, I'm already here. And yes, I am quite free, thank you for being oh so considerate!"

Zenyatta and Genji both jumped at the sudden entrance, but they lost their tense posture once they realized it was merely the Omnic in question. Zenyatta sighed, shaking his head and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Hibiscus, where you eavesdropping again?"

"Yes, I do that often." Her tone easily said that she found no problems with her actions.

Genji instantly grimaced, how much did she hear? When he asked this, Hibiscus waved a hand in dismissal.

"Oh nothing embarrassing, worry not a hair on your pretty little cabbage patch head. I started listening around the whole 'don't bend, then break' kind of spiel."

Genji grimaced at the nickname while Zenyatta glanced off to the side, sighing once again. "That wasn't the correct words and you know it."

She made her way over to Zenyatta, slinging an arm over his shoulders. "Don't care. Anyways, we are not leaving yet! Do you honestly think I would let my little brother go around a new city looking like a monk?!"

Brows drawing together in confusion, Genji wondered if Hibiscus was even aware of the fact that she herself was a monk. Before Genji could ask, Zenyatta laughed and shook his head fondly. "Alright, I understand the game you're playing at."

Hibiscus snapped her fingers, "Darn, foiled so early? I'm losing my touch."

"Indeed," Humming, Zenyatta turned his attention to Genji. "I'd hate to ask you this, but do you have an outfit you can spare? Hibiscus is insistent that I change from my monk robes because she does not want to be stopped by Omnics and humans interested in talking with the Shimbali."

"You know me so well," She sighed, leaning against Zenyatta in a dramatic manner. "But alas, you are correct! As much as I would love to be swamped by adoring fans, we are currently off duty! So this time is my time, no Shimbali business while I'm exploring every nook and cranny Hanamura has to offer."

Genji watched the exchange with clear amusement, finding their interactions to be quite entertaining. The two of them truly acted like siblings, ones that got along extremely well with each other. Genji vaguely remembered he and Hanzo being like that, though nowadays it was a bit more tense and bitter, sometimes the two of them fighting more than getting along.

Shaking his head to ignore the slight jealousy he felt over Zenyatta and Hibiscus' sibling bond, Genji merely grinned and made his way towards the window.

"Sure! Just give me a second and I'll find something you can wear."

He slipped out the window before Zenyatta or Hibiscus could say anything. When he reached his room, Genji scratched his head, what clothes could Zenyatta wear? Obviously none of the clothes currently littering the floor of his room. Genji was not at all certain which ones were clean and which were… Festering.

Opening his closet, Genji dug through for about a minute before he pulled out a shirt he had no recollection of buying. It was a simple white shirt with a Pachimari printed on the front, the little onion octopus wearing a pair of sunglasses along with the words " _One cool onion_ " hanging below it. He snorted at the sight, instantly assuming one of his friends had gotten him this as a gag gift.

Genji hummed, debating for a bit before keeping the shirt to give to Zenyatta. It may be a bit silly, but Genji wanted to see Zenyatta in this. He had no doubt the Omnic would be cute in such a thing. Though… In case he didn't like the shirt, Genji would give him something to cover it up with. It only took a moment for his Dragon to give a suggestion, drawing Genji's gaze to the light orange jacket hanging up in the closet, pushed to the right side where all of Genji's favoured outfits were.

It was one of the jackets Genji loved the most, having gotten it as a gift from his prickly brother. Hanzo may have gotten it to tease Genji and have more reason to call him a carrot when he wore it, but that didn't mean Genji hated it. In fact, he loved it even more because Hanzo had pretty much saw the jacket, thought of Genji, and had bought it for him. He had then played it off as if it didn't matter, but Genji knew Hanzo preened every time he caught his brother wearing it. So Genji kept it, if only to show Hanzo that he didn't _completely_ hate him.

Genji hesitated before taking it off the hook, settling it in the crook of his arm along with the shirt. Somewhere in his subconscious, _aka_ his Dragon, was convincing Genji that seeing Zenyatta in his prized jacket was an absolute must and could not be ignored. So with the top half of Zenyatta's clothing problem solved, Genji went in search of pants. He vaguely wondered if he should also get Zenyatta some underwear, it was better to be safe than sorry. So when he got some pants for the Omnic, he quickly snatched a clean pair of boxers and made his way to the guest quarters.

By the time Genji made it up to Zenyatta's window, Hibiscus was lying on her back in a rather cute sundress while Zenyatta was sitting next to her, posture relaxed and head dipped in a semi-meditative state. Hibiscus tilted her head towards the window, letting out an exaggerated groan and sitting up.

"Finally you're back! I felt myself rusting with how long you kept us waiting!" She wailed, flinging an arm over her eye slits dramatically.

"Hibiscus, please." Zenyatta chuckled, giving her an affectionate nudge with his foot. Slipping out of his lotus position, Zenyatta stood up in order to accept the clothes Genji offered him.

"Hopefully they fit," Genji mumbled, grinning.

Zenyatta nodded his head, tilting it in a smile. "Yes, thank you Genji."

Before Genji could say anything, Hibiscus had snatched him by the scarf, yanking him towards the door. "Alright, well we'll let you change! Meet us at the entrance, ok?"

At Zenyatta's confirmation, Hibiscus quite easily hauled Genji out of the room. He was extremely surprised with how little effort it took for Hibiscus to pull Genji. Though he hadn't been resisting, so maybe that was the reason?

When they got to the entrance of the Shimada compound, Hibiscus hummed as she smoothed out her dress. "You know, Genji, I haven't seen Zenyatta this happy in a long time. It's nice to see him smiling and laughing so much. I truly believe he's healing from his inner demons."

"Inner demons?" Genji echoed. Zenyatta had issues of his own? But he seemed so happy and carefree! What could he possibly be having inner turmoil over? Could it be the thing he mentioned during the speech? The thing that took away his desire to laugh and feel joy?

"Of course, all of us have some problems." Hibiscus hummed, "But like I said, Zenyatta seems to be working through his. I missed hearing him laugh so much, it'd be a shame to hear it go."

Genji was suddenly struck with that feeling of danger again, the one that had his Dragon's instincts hissing at him. Frowning, Genji observed the Omnic examining her fingers as if to look at her nails.

"… What are you getting at?"

"What I'm getting at, my dearest broccoli, is something very simple." With the hand she had been examining, she snapped it out and grabbed Genji by his scarf, yanking him down so they were eye-level. Her tone had turned threatening, no longer holding that playful lit it usually carried. "If you do anything, and I mean **anything** , to hurt my baby brother and take his smile away, I'll beat you so fucking hard not even the Iris would be able to save you."

There was that protective sibling thing Genji had felt earlier. Though this time it was directed towards Genji and, though he probably could handle Hibiscus in a fight, he wasn't that eager to see how well she could carry out her threat. Genji had a feeling he'd walk away with at least a couple broken bones before he managed to win, at least that's what his instincts were telling him. Siblings on a rampage could be scary, he knew that first hand.

"I have no intention of hurting Zen." Genji stated firmly, though the moment those words left him, he felt a sour taste in the back of his mouth. He technically would be hurting Zenyatta, though without the Omnic's knowledge. He'd be infringing on their trust, snapping a picture of Zenyatta when he slept with the other. It wasn't an "if" though, no Genji was confident enough to know that it was only a matter of "when".

Seeming satisfied with the tone Genji used, she let go of him and was instantly back to her cheerful attitude. "Good! Because I'd really hate to be you if you hurt Zen. I'm murder for my little brother to stay safe and happy."

The casual admission had Genji's eyes widening, seeing the supposed "monk" in a whole new light. "You know, for a monk you're pretty violent."

"I'm only a monk in name, broccoli." She hummed, turning to face the approaching Omnic.

Genji scowled slightly, he really hoped she didn't continue to call him broccoli. It wasn't as degrading as cabbage patch, but it was still just as annoying. Turning to look at Zenyatta, Genji couldn't help but grin at the sight.

Zenyatta looked absolutely adorable in the outfit Genji picked out for him. The young Shimada felt a small amount of smug satisfaction at seeing Zenyatta in his clothes. Hell, even his Dragon was purring at the sight. The Spirit believed it was a sign that Zenyatta was his and an instinctual part of Genji was preening at the smell of his scent on Zenyatta.

Biting back a purr that threatened to spill from his lips, Genji cleared his throat and smiled as if he hadn't been threatened a few seconds ago. "Shall we get going? I've got a lot of places I want to show you!"

Seeming unaware of what had transpired between Genji and his sister, Zenyatta chuckled fondly. "Yes, let's hurry, for I fear my processors are going to overheat with how excited I am."

Genji chuckled, leading the way as the three of them left the Shimada compound.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: The previous chapter was shorter than usual so I made this longer :D Also, since I dislike FF's formating, I never really put long descriptions in here anymore. So if you wanna see a long A/N and any more information, follow me on AO3. I go under the same name as here ;v

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Barely had they walked five steps away from the compound before Hibiscus was going in a different direction than Zenyatta and Genji.

"Later, plebeians!"

Zenyatta paused, turning to watch his supposed 'babysitter' ditch them. "And may I ask where you're off to, sister?"

She turned around, walking backwards, "I've got a hot date with that guard from the speeches. She wants to take me out to a movie and, with that in mind, I can't be seen with an extra set of wheels." She gestured to both Genji and Zenyatta.

Genji's eyes widened, she already had a date? With someone she met that day?! "You work fast." He whistled, clearly impressed.

Nodding her head smugly, Hibiscus spun around and lifted a hand in a farewell. "That I do, young broccoli. Now do enjoy your time together. I'll be seeing you!"

And with that she rounded the corner and was gone, leaving a stunned Zenyatta and Genji. Blinking and shaking his head, Genji decided to ignore Hibiscus and instead count his victory that Zenyatta and Genji were _alone_. Grinning, Genji let his Dragon quickly form a plan for him while he was busy getting Zenyatta to pay attention to him.

"Well then, I'll take that as our sign to go? I still want to show you around Hanamura." He smiled sweetly.

Zenyatta tilted his head in a smile, tone laced with amusement. "Lead away, my young friend."

' **Offer your hand for him to hold** ', his Dragon hissed.

Genji complied, sticking out his hand towards the Omnic, accompanying the action with a smile. He wiggled his fingers when Zenyatta glanced down at the appendage in confusion. It only took a moment of hesitation before Zenyatta lifted his hand and deposited it Genji's. Grinning and internally cheering, Genji shifted his hand so he could lace their fingers together.

After giving their conjoined hands a squeeze, Genji hummed and turned, leading Zenyatta down towards the populated streets of Hanamura. While Zenyatta silently hoped Genji couldn't hear how fast his fans were spinning, the young Shimada's spirit was quickly supplying him with the plan it made for their outing. First Genji would take Zenyatta to the arcade, maybe play a few games and show off his skill. Then maybe after that they could walk around and, if Zenyatta found something he wanted to do, they could go and do that. They could go to the park and feed the ducks. Zenyatta liked nature, so he'd probably enjoy that.

Genji and Zenyatta made small talk as they walked to the arcade, Genji pointing out a few buildings that held some form of significance to him.

"And over there is where I went to high school. After classes, Naoki and I would come to the arcade and play for hours and hours." Genji explained.

Zenyatta hummed, nodding his head as he processed the information and placed it in an internal file labelled " _Genji_ ", a file that was growing larger as the days passed. "How interesting, I myself have never participated in school as a student, but I have taught classes before."

"Oh, what did you teach?" Genji turned his head to look at the Omnic keeping pace by his side. Once again Genji couldn't help the silly grin that found its way on his face. Zenyatta was just so cute in his clothes, especially his jacket. It just seemed a tad too big for the Omnic's lithe body, swallowing him up in a sea of Orange.

"Well I taught to the children who lived in the village at the base of the monastery. For me, the subjects I taught to them were maths and spelling. Mondatta, when he wasn't busy, taught the children Astronomy and about the Iris. He absolutely adores talking about the stars, especially to those who'll listen." Zenyatta hummed, looking up at the sky, an air of fondness floating around him.

Genji thought of the Shimbali leader, surprised that the Omnic could enjoy something like astronomy. Space was cool, Genji would admit it without question. But it was also pretty intense, expanding for who knows how long, no end in sight. Maybe that was why Mondatta liked it, because it was full of so many mysteries.

They made it to the arcade, still conversing in light and happy tones. When they stepped in, Genji was instantly greeted by those who knew him. After all, he was a regular in the arcade, on top of being a record setting legend. Those who frequented the arcade knew Genji's name was always on the top of every score and he was never afraid to fight for his title. Though he had yet to lose to anyone, human or Omnic, and Genji was just competitive enough to keep it that way.

"You are quite popular," Zenyatta chuckled after another person, this time a middle schooler, greeted Genji enthusiastically.

Genji grinned a little sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "It comes with the territory. I'm pretty much a legend here in the arcade."

Zenyatta tilted his head, "Oh?"

Never one to pass up a chance to toot his own horn, Genji puffed out his chest a little proudly and grinned. "Yep! I have the high score on every single game in here! No one has come close to beating me, I'm too competitive to let them."

The Omnic chuckled, glancing around the arcade at the wide selection of games. "How amazing. It must have taken you quite a long time in order to get the high score for all of these games."

Genji shrugged, grinning as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Aaah it's nothing. When you have the amount of free time I do, you find ways to keep yourself entertained."

"I would assume so," Zenyatta hummed, "Genji? Would you be so kind as to teach me how to play some of these games? I have never played in an arcade before."

Even if Genji's Dragon hadn't hissed at him to take this chance, Genji would've jumped at the opportunity to teach Zenyatta. He gave their still joined hands a reassuring squeeze, smiling widely at him.

"Sure! Which game would you like to try first? There are a whole lot of different ones we can play!" As Genji began listing off the games, Zenyatta would nod his head and add each name into a single file so he wouldn't forget.

Once Genji was done, Zenyatta was left with at least 15 different games to choose from. Placing his free hand to the side of his faceplate, the monk slowly shook his head and chuckled softly.

"There are so many to pick from, I'm afraid I can't decide. Could we possibly start off with an easy game?"

Genji was grinning so much his cheeks were starting to hurt, but how could he stop? For some reason he was extremely happy, even if it was over discussing to Zenyatta games they could play. Maybe it wasn't about the topic that made Genji so happy, but the company he had. Maybe it was just Zenyatta that made him so happy.

Genji quickly tossed those thoughts from his head, they had no place here. "That's fine! I know just the game!"

So Genji took Zenyatta around the arcade, teaching him how to play the games. Whenever the Omnic would win, he would laugh and beam, even if was with a meagre score. In the co-op games, Genji would teach Zenyatta like always, then proceed to beat the Omnic ruthlessly. Even though Zenyatta seemed to be having fun, Genji did feel a little bad for playing against someone so inexperienced. So when he tried to purposefully lose so Zenyatta could win one game, it was painfully obvious.

"Genji," Zenyatta hummed, a laugh lingering in his voice.

Wincing, Genji offered the Omnic a sheepish grin. "Yes?"

Zenyatta turned his attention to Genji, giving him the familiar gesture of a smile. "As much as I appreciate you trying to throw the game so I could win, there was no need for you to constantly throw your character off the edge of a cliff at the start. I would have much more fun if you would play as you normally do. I do not expect to win since this is my first time playing."

Genji rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling softly. "So I was caught, huh?"

"Subtly seems to have evaded you at this moment."

The two of them laughed before enthusiastic yelling drew their attention. Genji glanced over to the side, seeing a group of middle schoolers crowded around one of the newer dancing games. Genji watched Zenyatta's attention instantly focus on the dancing game. A soft gasp left the Omnic's voice box and he grabbed Genji's sleeve, tugging on it excitedly.

"Genji? Might we try that game next?"

Genji couldn't hide the amused chuckle that left him at the Omnic's obvious excitement. How could Genji deny Zenyatta something that he was so eager to try? So with a nod and a warm smile, Genji led them over to the section of the arcade with three separate dancing games set up side by side.

They took one on the end that wasn't occupied, Genji taking a moment to explain to Zenyatta how it worked. "So you stand here and keep your eyes on this screen. When the song starts, a person will appear here and you'll have to mimic their dance moves as accurately as you can. Make sure to time it too, the more in line you are with the dancer the higher your score."

Zenyatta nodded, "And do you have a high score on this as well, Genji?"

Grinning, the young Shimada puffed out his chest. "That I do."

Genji had worked endlessly to get as high of a score as he could, his pride demanded it. Not only that, but he and his Dragon were extremely competitive, as they've stated multiple times. Genji had spent hours playing no other game until he got a score that was extremely difficult to beat. Many had gotten close, but none had managed to pass his score.

"So as the dancing starts, it begins at the easiest level. The difficulty will raise depending on how high your score gets. There's a wide selection of songs with specific dances for each. Though they're all dances done by one person, so no partner dances like tango or whatever. Though there is a co-op mode where two people can dance to the same song. We'll do that, since we're both playing." Genji explained, pressing a few buttons on the control panel in order to get the game started. "Do you have a song request?"

Humming, Zenyatta quickly selected an internal file buried deep in his processors. He tilted his head from side to side, going through the wide list of songs he knew in only a matter of seconds. But Zenyatta quickly shut down that train of thought, instead giving Genji his full attention.

Giving Genji his familiar gesture of a smile, Zenyatta chuckled. "Surprise me."

Genji nodded, grinning as he selected a song. He then shuffled back to the designated mat he and Zenyatta were to stand on. Genji quickly helped usher Zenyatta in the proper spot before he took his own spot. The song started up, a poppy upbeat tone that usually invoked the urge to dance in those who heard it. Genji flashed a playful smirk at the Omnic, winking at him.

"Don't faint from my awesome moves." He purred, smirk widening at the laugh that came from Zenyatta.

Zenyatta hummed, getting in the starting pose the figure on the screen showed for his side. "I could say the same to you, my dear friend. You will find that I also have a few tricks up my sleeve."

Genji laughed, also getting in the starting pose. He felt the familiar rush of excitement, though this time he couldn't tell if it originated from him or his tattoo. He and his Dragon were in sync, they were excited, a rush of exhilaration flowing between them. Genji couldn't recall anyone that made him and his Dragon feel like this. It was breath-taking in all the right ways.

When the dancing started at the slow yet poppy pace, Genji would occasionally glance at Zenyatta. He seemed to be having fun, meeting the cheery movements with equal enthusiasm. Genji grinned, a brow raised at how fluid Zenyatta's movements seemed. It appeared Zenyatta had some skill with games after all.

As the beat picked up and as did the difficulty, Genji found that Zenyatta was giving him a run for his money. While Genji was hitting a good portion of the movements with 'good' and the occasional 'perfect', Zenyatta was getting more 'perfect' than 'good', only getting the lower point every now and again. There were moments where, like Genji, they both stumbled in the dance. But for once, Genji didn't beat himself up for messing up, he was having too much fun. It was especially great to hear Zenyatta's laugh whenever they accidentally messed up together, bumping into each other because they overestimated their movements.

Genji's cheeks hurt with how wide he was smiling, but still he couldn't find it in him to stop. Even when he was becoming winded from the dancing, he still found enough air to laugh in tandem with Zenyatta. They struck a final pose as the song ended and Genji broke out into a fit of giggles, leaning against Zenyatta and listening to the Omnic's internal fans power away at a higher rate than usual.

"Shall we go again?" Zenyatta giggled, his voice box crackling with some static before he made a sound to clear his throat, which stopped the noise.

Genji snorted, patting Zenyatta's arm, "At least… Give me a moment to rest." He panted, taking a few deep breaths.

Zenyatta chuckled but patiently waited for Genji to catch his breath and steady his heart rate. Once he was back on his feet, Genji nodded and bounced a bit.

"Alright! Ready! This time you pick the song." Genji moved over to the device, waiting for Zenyatta's song choice.

The Omnic sighed, shaking his head fondly before he crossed his arms over his chest. Tapping his chin with a finger, Zenyatta hummed in thought. "Well… There was this one song I heard on the plane ride over here… It is apparently quite popular. I very much enjoyed how lively the song was."

When Zenyatta gave Genji the song name, he nodded and checked to see if the song was in the game. Surprisingly it was and, based on the name, Genji knew it was going to be a peppy song designed for girls to dance to. But why would that stop the young Shimada from dancing with Zenyatta and having fun? If anything, it'd be something they both can laugh about later. Their own inside joke; Genji liked the thought.

Needless to say, the two of them had a lot of fun with the song. The flourish of skipping motions, hand movements, and hip sways were enough to leave the two a giggling fit. It was a wonder they managed to even hit the moves properly with how distracted they were getting. By the end of it, Zenyatta had a higher score than Genji. However, the young Shimada couldn't find it in himself to care. If anything, his Dragon was purring with how pleased it was. Zenyatta had managed to beat Genji, even when the both were being somewhat "serious" about it.

Genji and Zenyatta made their way out of the arcade, still laughing and hanging off each other. "Where'd you learn to move like that?" Genji asked when he finally managed to stop laughing.

Zenyatta hummed, clearing his voice box for the umpteenth time. "Well to be completely honest, it's in my programming. I was an Omnic made for dancing like Hibiscus."

"No way!"

"Oh yes," Zenyatta nodded, "The Viscaria Parlour was a place where people could go to see dancing of all sorts. It was quite the popular place, as most of the staff were Omnic dancers. Though there were a few humans that danced as well. All the employees of the parlour had flower names to keep up with the theme. Even the human employees had flower names, though it was only a stage name for them."

Genji snapped his fingers, "So that's where Hibiscus got her name?"

"Mmhmm."

While they talked, Genji led them to a small café, the two of them taking a seat outside under one of the umbrella seats. "Ok, her name I get. But what about yours? I don't think I've ever heard of a flower called ' _Zenyatta'_."

"You would be correct," The Omnic dipped his head, folding his hands and resting them on the table. "My original name was Lotus, but when I left the parlour, I changed my name. Mondatta was the same, his original name was Orchid."

Genji's eyes widened at this information and he leaned forward in his seat. "Lotus? That's… A pretty name."

Zenyatta giggled at the compliment, a warm hum leaving the Omnic. "Thank you, Genji."

"Tell me more! What was the parlour like?" Genji asked enthusiastically, only after the words left his mouth did he realize how demanding he sounded. "I mean, that is if you want to. If it makes you uncomfortable, then you don't have to…"

Zenyatta raised a hand, quelling Genji's fear of having overstepped his boundaries. "Worry not, I would be honoured to tell you about my time in the parlour." Settling more comfortably in his seat, Zenyatta hummed as he thought of where to start. "Well, when I first arrived at the parlour, we were told how the place was run and what was expected of us. Afterwards we were allowed to choose a name, so long as it was a flower. They even gave us an extensive encyclopaedia on flowers just so we could make a decision that would be "unique". No two employees could have the same name, so I picked Lotus. I fell in love with how they looked and their meaning just felt… Right to me."

Genji nodded, digesting the information with a hum. A waitress came out of the Café to take his order, Genji asking for an iced coffee to go. When she left, he returned his attention back to Zenyatta and listened to him talk.

"After we picked our names, our flowers were tattooed onto our body. Some chose more enthusiastic tattoos than others, but each of us had our flower somewhere on our body." The enthusiastic one Zenyatta was referring to was of course Hibiscus. She had the swirling designs twisting all around her frame, standing out in eye-catching ways.

But what Genji took from this information was that Zenyatta had a lotus tattooed somewhere on his body. And it was somewhere covered by clothes, since Genji hadn't been able to see any sign of a tattoo on Zenyatta's body. He felt a playful smile pull at the corners of his mouth, the ninja leaning in closer.

"So by that logic, that means you have a tattoo of a lotus?"

"I do."

Genji felt giddy, wondering if Zenyatta would show him the location of the tattoo. "Can I see it? I'll show you my tattoo if you show me yours."

At this, Zenyatta tilted his head in a curious fashion. "Oh? You have a tattoo as well?"

"Yep! Mine's a Dragon, though. But it's a very fierce Dragon with beautiful green scales." Genji could feel his Dragon purr at the compliments, the beast puffing its chest out in pride. It was obvious even Genji's Dragon wanted to show off to the Omnic. Too bad Zenyatta would never be able to see the Dragon in a corporeal form. That would be one too many Shimada secrets being told, and Genji was already on thin ice with telling Zenyatta he was a trained ninja.

Zenyatta placed a hand to the side of his face plate, "While it is very tempting… I'm afraid I can't. It would be indecent of me to strip in public to show you a tattoo."

The teasing tone Zenyatta used made something warm flutter in Genji's stomach. He scraped the idea up as him just being hungry. Maybe he should order something to eat? When the waitress came out with his coffee, Genji asked for a small muffin as well. She nodded, coming out with it after only a minute. Genji quickly paid for the food and drink, turning back to face Zenyatta.

"So that means it's under your clothes? Is it under your shirt? Pants?" Those were the only two options, but Genji was quietly hoping Zenyatta _would_ strip just to show him. Though maybe not in public, maybe in the privacy of Zen's room. Yeah, that was a good idea. And then Genji could strip and show his tattoo. And if it went somewhere else from there, well Genji wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Zenyatta laced his fingers together and placed his elbows on the table, resting his chin on the back of his hands. "Though I'm not inclined to show you at the moment, I can tell you its location. My tattoo is on my back. When I worked at the parlour, I was required to wear outfits that would show where my flower was located. So most of the dresses and suits I wore were open backed."

Genji felt a burning delight radiate from his tattoo, his Dragon so pleased that Zenyatta's lotus was also on his back. Genji ignored the urge to itch at his tattoo, slightly annoyed with his Dragon's enthusiasm. It didn't matter that their tattoos were located in the same area. It was merely a coincidence, no need to get himself twisted up over it!

"So you wore dresses and suits?" Genji asked, instead focusing on that.

The Omnic made a sound of confirmation, "I did. I specialized in partner dance, so depending on who I was dancing with, I dressed accordingly. Though most of the time I was to wear dresses, as they were more appropriate than an open backed suit."

"Makes sense."

His Dragon was once again supplying him with an idea, one Genji wasn't completely against. Though he wondered if Zenyatta would say yes, or would he have a reason to say no?

Never one to think things through, Genji simply jumped right in. "Do you think you can teach me to dance?"

Zenyatta seemed surprised at the request, his head lifting off his hands slightly. But he didn't stay quiet for long, thankfully. With his head tilted in a smile, Zenyatta spoke to Genji in a very warm voice.

"I would love to."

Genji grinned, "Great! We can start tomorrow! If you're free that is."

Though Zenyatta didn't have the chance to respond, for someone diverted their attention.

"Genji?"

The green-haired ninja looked over his shoulder, blinking in surprise at the sight of Naoki. He appeared to be shopping, a bag in his hand full of stuff Genji couldn't tell from this angle. He seemed shocked to see Genji, but also surprised to see Zenyatta, especially when the Omnic was wearing Genji's favourite jacket.

"Naoki, what's up?" Genji's grin was unsure, the young Shimada worrying that his previous talk with Naoki would make things awkward between them. "You out shopping?"

Shaking his head, Naoki dispelled the awkwardness with a simple smile. "Yeah, shopping for Hiro. Apparently there's a new shop that opened up for Omnics. They sell oils for their joints, but they're apparently scented. He wanted some of the scented oils, so I went out to buy him some."

Genji glanced at Zenyatta, seeing his attention perk. "Oh? Scented oils? I'll have to check out the store…"

Smiling, Genji chuckled, "We can go to the store on our way back. Naoki," He directed his attention to his friend. "Where's the store located?"

Naoki blinked, "It's near the shop I work at. Literally down the street from it."

Genji nodded, glancing between Naoki and then Zenyatta. Suddenly he remembered something. Naoki had gone to the speeches, right? So surely he was at least a fan of the Shimbali. Or if anything, at least his boyfriend was.

"Zen, this is Naoki, my best friend. If you're ever in a pickle, just find him, he'll help you out." Genji grinned before looking at Naoki. "And Naoki, this is Zenyatta. He's a part of the Shimbali monks, and an extremely good dancer. Even beat my high score on the newest dancing game." Genji turned his smirk towards Zenyatta, enjoying the way he hunched his shoulders in embarrassment, a gust of steam leaving the Omnic.

"Genji please," Zenyatta chuckled, waving a hand in embarrassment. "We weren't even trying really hard, there wasn't much of a score to beat."

Naoki's eyebrows were reaching his hairline with how high he was raising them. He shook his head, closing his eyes for a moment before looking at Zenyatta and beaming warmly at him.

He bowed slightly in greeting, "Master Zenyatta, a pleasure to meet you. I thoroughly enjoyed the speeches today, they were very insightful on the trials my lover faces. I feel more aware of how we can better combat these things together."

Zenyatta seemed surprised, though he dipped his head in greeting. "I thank you for attending, on behalf of my brothers and sisters. Though I'm afraid I am not yet ready to be called a master." He chuckled fondly, placing his hands on his lap. "Though it makes me so happy to hear that our speeches were of some use to you. Please, give my regards to your significant other. They made a great choice in a partner."

Naoki blushed, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Thanks, I'll be sure to let him know."

Genji let out a cooing sound, batting his eyelashes at Naoki and squishing his cheeks. "D'aaaw, lil' Naoki is so embarrassed!"

His remarked earned him a punch in the shoulder from Naoki, but Genji was too busy laughing at the flush his usually calm friend had. Naoki huffed, scowling in mock annoyance.

"Piss off, Genji. I don't want to hear that from someone with no embarrassing bone in his body."

Placing a hand to his chest and feigning a gasp, Genji stuck his nose up in the air. "How rude! I have you know I've been embarrassed before!"

Naoki quirked a brow, "Oh really?"

Zenyatta, having watched the exchange, raised a hand slightly in order to gain their attention. "If I may, I think I have seen Genji embarrassed before. Though… More flustered than anything."

This caused Naoki to grin while Genji frowned, what moment was the monk talking about? Genji quickly tried to play through all their interactions, attempting to figure out a moment where Zenyatta saw him embarrassed. His Dragon was at a loss as well, for the only time it could think of was when Zenyatta fixed his tie.

Suddenly Genji paled, now **that** was a time he was flustered. Both he and his Dragon had been a slight mess over that. But Genji had thought he managed to cover up his blushing!

"Zen, no." Genji hissed, feeling a burning in his cheeks.

Zenyatta tilted his head, giving an innocent chuckle. "It was during the speech this morning. Genji's tie was in such disarray, I wanted to fix it for him. I never expected such an act to cause him to blush. I believe it reached the tips of his ears. But it was so cute, I didn't want to say anything."

Naoki burst out laughing as Zenyatta's admission caused Genji to blush. He snorted between giggles, placing a hand over his mouth as he tried to stifle is laughing. He cleared his throat, watching Zenyatta laugh at Genji's fierce pout.

"Well, then I guess you can get embarrassed, Genji." Ignoring the finger his friend grumpily flashed him, Naoki adjusted the bag in his arms. "I'll be seeing you, dude. Try not to get into any trouble without me. Master Zenyatta," He nodded his head in farewell, the action mirrored by Zenyatta.

They watched Naoki leave, Genji slumping in his seat and slurping his coffee in a sulky manner. Zenyatta watched him for a while, head tilted indicating he was smiling at Genji. The young Shimada ignored him, intending to pout as long as he could.

"Genji," Zenyatta said softly, the fondness in his tone managing to quell Genji's ire a bit.

Still pouting, Genji glared up at Zenyatta and stuck out his tongue at the Omnic. "I hate you."

"You don't, I can tell."

If Genji didn't know any better, he'd say Zenyatta almost sounded smug. Though he wanted to still pout and sulk, Genji couldn't stay mad at Zenyatta, even if it was fake anger. Sighing and rolling his eyes, Genji leaned back and smiled faintly at the Omnic.

He shrugged, "Yeah, you're right." Genji let out a long hum, "Well I guess we should head over to buy those oils, right?"

Genji stood, cramming the muffing in his mouth before holding a hand out to Zenyatta, the other holding his coffee. Zenyatta laughed at the display, taking the hand and standing. The Omnic raised his free hand and began dusting off the crumbs on Genji's stuffed face.

"It would be wise for us to be quick, for I suspect the lines to grow as time passes."

Chewing and swallowing the remnants of his muffin, Genji offered Zenyatta a smile. "Smart thinking."

The two made their way over to the store, Genji leading Zenyatta around by the hand while he drank his coffee. When they reached the store, there was a bit of a line. They waited for about ten minutes before they could enter the store, Genji now following Zenyatta around since he had no clue what these wares were for.

There were Omnics in the shop, as well as a few humans, most of the humans being like Genji and accompanying an Omnic or two. Zenyatta stopped in front of a line of oil jars that had cute ribbons tied around them, the colours varying for each jar. There were labels of scents under the selection of jars, ranging from apple to chocolate, much to Genji's surprise. There was also an image of the object it smelt like printed on the jars so it was easier to decipher between the liquids.

"Can Omnics… Smell?" Genji asked, wondering if it was too personal a question.

Zenyatta didn't show any offence, instead humming as he looked along the jars. "Some smells our receptors can pick up, if they're strong enough. That's why these kind of products usually have a strong smell, though it's advised to use them at night so that in the morning the smells aren't strong enough to be considered overwhelming."

Now that was something Genji hadn't known, but was a very useful thing! He watched as Zenyatta picked three jars consisting of strawberry, vanilla, and caramel. The two of them then waited in line, the Omnic pulling out a coin purse from inside the jacket pocket. Genji tilted his head, apparently Zenyatta had money for the products. And here Genji was, reaching for his own money to pay for it. Damn.

With the jars bought, Genji and Zenyatta made their way out of the shop. "I bought vanilla for Mondatta and caramel for Hibiscus, strawberry is for myself." Suddenly Zenyatta stopped, a hand finding its way to his mouth seam. "Oh dear, I just realized something."

"What?" Genji stopped, turning to give Zenyatta his full attention.

Zenyatta lowered his hand, "We have no way of contacting Hibiscus. We can't go into the compound without her, Mondatta would blow a fuse if he knew Hibiscus left me alone when she was supposed to stick close to me."

Genji hissed through his teeth, wincing at the sudden revelation. "Shit, you're right."

Just as Genji was beginning to think he should start jumping across the roofs in order to find the decorative Omnic, or at least send his Dragon out to scout for her, it seems the heavens took some pity on him. Genji's phone pocket buzzed and he fished it out, looking down to see a text from Jiro of all people. The guy had sent him a video with the caption " _Yo, this Omnic is crazy!_ ' and the thumbnail already had Genji cringing.

"I think I found her…" He mumbled, angling his phone so Zenyatta could see the video.

Hibiscus was sitting at a table, a crowd of people surrounding her. Standing behind her was a monster of a woman, having deep brown skin and powerful arms, a plump frame complimenting her choice of slacks and a button down, her dark curly hair tied up into a short ponytail. But that wasn't what the big deal was; no, that was Hibiscus. She had her left arm propped on the table, locked against a man with bulging muscles.

The people around Hibiscus were cheering wildly while she arm-wrestled the man and it rose in enthusiasm when Hibiscus slowly pushed the man's hand down. He seemed to be straining with the effort, as was Hibiscus, but not as much as the man. Even if her body was not made for strength, it was clear she had some in her tiny frame.

"Holy shit," Genji breathed as with one final shove, Hibiscus slammed the man's hand down on the table. People screamed in excitement as money was quickly dropped on the table, people apparently made bets on who would win. "Are you sure that's even fair? I mean, she is an Omnic."

Zenyatta huffed in fond exasperation, "I'm afraid I can't say. You might not believe it, but Hibiscus is actually pretty strong, and it has nothing to do with enhancements. I have no clue how she does it, but all I know is that it makes sparring with her a nightmare. And she's using her left hand too! She has the nastiest left hook, almost took off my faceplate with how much force she puts into it."

Genji grimaced, quickly shoving his phone in his pocket and taking Zenyatta by the hand. "Then we better get her before someone decides that she's _'cheating'_ and they want retribution."

That instantly made Zenyatta pick up the pace, following Genji since he apparently knew where they were going. Genji had recalled the surroundings in the video, so he had an extremely vague idea on where this was taking place.

"That would be a horrible thing indeed," Zenyatta said, worry clear in his tone. "Mondatta would definitely break his vow of peace in order to strangle Hibiscus if she ended up in jail again."

"Again?" Genji asked, completely bewildered at these Omnics that called themselves monks.

Zenyatta gave a strained laugh, "Well the first time she wasn't alone. I may have… Been sitting right with her. But it was only holding! We did nothing too dangerous that would warrant us being put in jail permanently! It was all a misunderstanding."

Genji laughed at that, turning to face forward. "Ok, I definitely have to hear this story. But first, your crazy sister!"

When Genji and Zenyatta both made it to where Hibiscus was, the Omnic was still in the middle of the crowd and resting casually in her chair, head tilted back in order to look up into the face of the large woman behind her. She was cooing flirts, apparently trying to get a reaction from the stoic faced female while she waited for someone else to compete against her.

"Excuse me, please." Zenyatta spoke in a soft tone, letting go of Genji's hand after giving him the bag of jars in order to move towards the crowd. It parted, apparently thinking there was another challenger approaching. However Hibiscus instantly snapped to a normal sitting position when Zenyatta stood before her, hands on his hips.

"Zen! I was just going to look for you!" She cheered, tone overly sweet as she tried to cover up her nervous laugh.

Not buying it for a second, Zenyatta tapped his foot again. "Hibiscus, you know what Mondatta would say if he caught wind of this."

She groaned dramatically, "Don't tell me you're gonna spill!"

Zenyatta lost his scolding posture, sighing. "No, I won't," He held up a hand, stopping Hibiscus from launching at him in a thankful hug. "But only this once since you kept quiet when I slipped out the first time."

The crowd seemed to be able to tell that there would be no more matches, for they all grumbled and dispersed to carry out what they were doing before the interruption. Genji made eye contact with Jiro and a few of the orange-haired man's friends, but a quick cutting motion with his hand at least let Jiro know that Genji couldn't talk. Though Jiro did raise a brow in confusion, he led his friends away instead of talking to Genji.

Genji sighed, walking over to Zenyatta and the others when there was no longer a crowd. Hibiscus, having stood from her chair in order to smooth out her dress, waved a hand at Genji when she spotted him.

"Oh, Genji! Just in time! I was about to introduce Zenyatta to Juliet. Juliet, this is my brother and his boyfriend! Aren't they adorable together?" Hibiscus teased, hanging off the extremely taller woman.

Hibiscus was only a dainty 5 feet compared to the 6 foot 3 woman known as Juliet. Even Genji wasn't that tall, only a few inches shorter than Juliet. Someday he wished to be that tall, if not taller. Juliet's height had almost been enough to distract Genji from what Hibiscus had said, though it apparently wasn't enough.

While he sputtered a response to being called Zenyatta's boyfriend, Juliet inclined her head to the other Omnic. "Nice to meet you," Her voice was soft, her expression not changing for a moment. Not even a twitch of the lips or batting an eye at the Omnic currently swooning on her arm.

"Isn't she adorable? Absolutely embarrassed, but that's ok. It's cute." Hibiscus cooed.

Zenyatta cleared his voice box, putting Hibiscus' words to the far back of things his processors were focused on. The last thing he needed right now was to devote all his attention to her words about Genji being his boyfriend. It would just add more fuel to a fire he wasn't sure he wanted to start.

So being polite, Zenyatta took the hand Juliet offered to him. "Nice to meet you, miss Juliet. I thank you for keeping us safe during the speech."

She shrugged, "Was no problem."

Juliet then turned her attention to Genji, holding out a hand for him to shake. Genji did so, grinning at her, "Nice to meet you. I'm Genji Shimada."

"Juliet Schmidt."

Genji nodded, letting go of her hand and stuffing it into his pocket, his other hand still holding Zenyatta's bag. "So, may I ask where you're from? No offense, but Juliet isn't really a Japanese name."

The towering woman seemed unaffected by Genji's question, though he was beginning to wonder if she ever did express any kind of emotion. Her face hadn't even moved an inch from the moment they were introduced. It would be extremely intimidating, but Genji was starting to think he was getting used to reading people with faces that didn't change. From the relaxed way Juliet was holding herself, it was obvious to see that she wasn't at all nervous. Though that was as far as Genji could tell for the moment.

"Was born in the US, but travelled around a lot because of my dad. Eventually I took the necessary classes to be a bodyguard of sorts and was then assigned here." She gestured around them, indicating the whole of Hanamura.

Genji nodded, "Ah, sounds interesting! I've always wanted to travel around."

Juliet hummed, inclining her head slightly to Genji. He was given the impression that he was being smiled at, so he counted that as a victory. Hibiscus, having been listening eagerly, leaned against Juliet and let out another sound similar to a static-like sigh from her voice box.

"I just love hearing you speak. Your voice is so beautiful." The Omnic hummed, pulling at the edge of Juliet's sleeve. "But alas, I have to leave you! I'm guessing my brother is here to pick me up."

The plump woman nodded, lowering body slightly at Hibiscus' incessant tugging. The Omnic stood on the tips of her toes, pressing her faceplate against Juliet's cheek. Genji thought he saw Juliet's mouth twitch into a barely there smile, but it was too quick for him to be sure.

Juliet rested a hand on the small of Hibiscus' back, patting it softly. "Alright. I will see you tomorrow?"

Giggling, Hibiscus held up a money purse that was practically exploding with how much money Hibiscus had stuffed into it. "Of course. I'll be paying for our date tomorrow though, honeysuckle."

Now Genji was positive Juliet was blushing, even as they bid her farewell and left in opposite directions. Genji whistled when they were far enough away, "You seriously move fast. The first date and already using pet names and giving kisses?" Genji was aware of how Omnics kissed, his past lovers having done it with him before. It was tingly and made his mouth buzz pleasantly, it was a feeling he kind of enjoyed.

Hibiscus shrugged, swinging her money pouch by the string. "What can I say? It must be because I've got game."

"And that you're overly affectionate when you want to be." Zenyatta hummed, hesitating for a moment before he reached out and took Genji's free hand.

Genji blushed and he assumed Zenyatta would too if he could, for the Omnic ducked his head in embarrassment and some steam quickly left his frame. Tightening the grip he had on Zenyatta's hand, Genji sent him a lopsided grin before looking at Hibiscus. She was staring at them, but a low teasing chuckle was echoing from her voice box.

To quickly save them from anything embarrassing she might say, Zenyatta gestured to the bag Genji was holding. "We bought you a jar of scented oil. It's for nightly maintenance."

Genji offered the bag to Zenyatta, the monk reaching in and pulling out the jar with the caramel scented oil. He handed it to Hibiscus and she gasped, holding it reverently to inspect it from every angle.

"Oh! No way, they sell this stuff here?"

"Yep! Maybe you and Juliet can go find it tomorrow." Genji offered, chuckling.

She tilted her head in a smile, "Thank you! I love the smell of caramel! I'll definitely have to go tomorrow! Oh, what other smells did you get?"

As Hibiscus and Zenyatta began talking over the scented oils Zenyatta got and the other items the store had that the Omnic could remember, Genji watched them interact with a warm smile. On occasion Genji would squeeze Zenyatta's hand and, without missing a beat, Zenyatta would squeeze back. It made Genji's heart flutter and caused a warm feeling to blossom, flooding throughout his body and giving him a somewhat sated feeling. Even his Dragon was purring in a pleased, satisfied manner. Genji decided that today was an extremely good day, maybe one of his favourites.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: More of a filler chapter than anything :'D I was really unsatisfied with the beginning, but I finally got something that I don't absolutely hate. More hinting at Zenyatta's past! We finally get a name to someone very important in his past~ Also since school has ended for me, expect chapters more frequently! Yaay!

* * *

"You've been… Spending a lot of time with Genji Shimada, have you not?"

Zenyatta hummed, not looking towards Mondatta as his brother spoke up. The two of them were currently meditating in Mondatta's room, the Shimbali leader having requested it. Zenyatta, never one to deny a request from his brother, was quite happy to spend some time with him.

"I have. Genji has been a very gracious host."

Mondatta gave a small nod of his head, hands folded in his lap while his legs were crossed in lotus position. Zenyatta mirrored his pose, though his head was bowed as he tried to cling to the last dregs of his meditation. When they lulled into another silence, Zenyatta assumed that was it. But he should have known better when it comes to Mondatta.

"I've heard some… Unsavoury things from those working here, about Genji."

Zenyatta chuckled, "Mondatta, I thought you stopped gossiping years ago."

The Shimbali monk tilted his head, looking away from Zenyatta as his tone got slightly defensive.

"I was not gossiping. I was simply curious about the man who has my brother's attention." Mondatta turned his head to look back at Zenyatta. "I haven't seen you this enraptured by someone since… Well… Since Keung."

Zenyatta stiffened slightly, the lights on his forehead turning a duller shade. Such an act would've gone unnoticed by a human, but an Omnic was adept at noticing even the slightest change to the lights, so it was easy for Mondatta to tell that mentioning Keung had been a bad choice.

He raised a hand, hesitating to place it on Zenyatta's shoulder. "Brother, I did not mean to bring up painful memories, I just-."

"I know," Zenyatta's voice was soft. He lifted his hand, taking Mondatta's and giving it a comforting squeeze. "You simply worry for me. I understand that, truly I do, but you do not need to fret over me about Genji."

Mondatta returned the squeeze, "But Zenyatta, the workers have said that he is a notorious playboy. That he brings partners home and most of the time they're not even the same person! Plus, he looks like he is one! The way he holds himself practically oozes it. I have encountered many playboys when we worked at the parlour, I know what to look for." He argued, gripping Zenyatta's hand a little tighter.

Zenyatta moved his other hand to cradle Mondatta's, squeezing the limb with both hands. "Mondatta, brother, you know that past actions do not define the man. Genji may be a playboy, and he may have different partners, but that doesn't mean Genji isn't worthy of my trust. He has been nothing but kind and respectful towards me."

"No unwanted advances?" Mondatta pressed.

"None," Zenyatta shook his head, trying not to be amused at his brother's worrying. It had been the same way with Keung, though back then Zenyatta was extremely new to the world and all experiences, so it was understandable.

Letting go of Mondatta's hand, Zenyatta leaned back and began to pick at the fabric of his pants. "Besides, even if Genji made a move, I know he would respect my personal boundaries and not push me to do anything I wouldn't want to do. He's not that type of person; And… Even if he was, I know I could fend him off if it came down to it."

Mondatta huffed, slumping slightly and retracting his hand. "Yes, I know you could. I am also aware that Genji is not… All bad. His father speaks highly of him, even when he mentions a few of Genji's… Unsavoury actions. But I trust Shimada-san's words, so in a way, I trust Genji. However, that does not mean my worry for you isn't there, for you know I will always worry about you in some way."

"I know," Zenyatta chuckled, giving his brother a gestured smile. "And I appreciate it, even if there is no reason to worry."

"I always need to worry when you're involved," Mondatta muttered dryly, "You are a kind and forgiving soul, brother. While that is far from a bad thing, it just means others have a larger chance of taking advantage of you. And… I could not bear to see you hurt again by someone you've welcomed into your heart."

Zenyatta paused at this, looking down at his hands. He clenched and unclenched them, the mala floating around him and Mondatta singing softly. "I understand," He whispered, "Truly I do. But I have faith in Genji, he will not try to hurt me purposefully."

Though he seemed unconvinced, Mondatta nodded his head stiffly. He placed a hand on Zenyatta's knee, giving it a light squeeze. "Just promise me you'll be careful."

Nodding, Zenyatta let out a small sigh, "I promise."

* * *

"You've been spending a lot of time inside the compound lately. Are you ill?"

Genji, currently lying on his back and cramming a bag of chocolate panda crackers into his mouth while simultaneously playing a handheld video game, barely looked at Hanzo from his perch on the couch.

"Well hello to you too." He muttered dryly, blindly reaching with one hand for his fizzy drink placed on the floor next to him.

Hanzo was leaning in the doorway to their secluded lounge room, arms crossed and one brow raised. He watched Genji for a while longer, ignoring the obnoxious way his brother slurped his drink through a straw. Honestly, was Genji so lazy that he had to put a straw into a bottle? Not even a cup, but a plastic bottle not meant to be drunk from with a straw!

"Should I have Oto-san call the family doctor? You haven't had a check-up in a while." Hanzo wouldn't deny that he was a little worried for his brother. After all, he had not had to drag Genji out of any bars the past week. Not only that, but even if Genji did go out, he was always back in the compound before the sun had fully set, which was extremely alarming if you were aware of Genji's habits.

Flipping his brother off, Genji took a moment to glare at him when he finally beat the level. "No, now what do you want?"

Hanzo moved into the room, closing the door behind him. He then sat on the couch by Genji's feet, hitting them so Genji would sit up and give him room. The young Shimada lifted his feet for only a moment before he was sticking them back down, this time on Hanzo's lap.

Hanzo wrinkled his nose in distaste for only a moment, taking a deep breath in order to keep himself from growling at his brother. "I was simply curious as to why you haven't been staying out as late as you usually do. Plus, after training you always disappear, and not even to go out of the compound. I can sense your Dragon and it's always nearby."

The funny thing about the Dragon wielders in the Shimada clan was that they could sense where the other was, which was how Hanzo always found Genji when he needed to. They didn't know if it really had to do with their family or if it was just a sibling thing, since they didn't have anyone else they could truly test it on.

"Stop spying on me," Genji scowled, nudging Hanzo with his foot. "And if you're really looking at where that worm is, then you'll know exactly where I've been. So you shouldn't even be asking."

Hanzo clicked his tongue, "Ok, then let me rephrase my question. Why have you been lurking in the guest quarters with the Shimbali monks? I thought Oto-san and I told you to not cause them any trouble."

Genji glared at Hanzo from over the edge of his game consol. "I'm not bugging anyone, stupid Hanzo."

"So you say."

The brothers glared at each other, Genji being the first to scoff and look away, his attention back on his game. "If you must know, Zenyatta is teaching me how to dance. And in the evenings we meditate for an hour or two."

Now both of Hanzo's eyebrows were reaching his hairline with how high he was raising them. "You? Dancing and meditating? Willingly?!"

Genji stared at his brother in distaste when the usually collected Shimada burst out laughing, holding his sides as he hunched over slightly. Hanzo snorted between his laughs, covering his mouth as he tried to stifle the sound. Yet he continued to laugh, unable to control himself.

"Is it that hard to believe?" Genji snapped, suddenly wishing to give Hanzo a firm shove, hopefully in the face with his foot.

Tucking some of his hair behind his ear, Hanzo cleared his throat and smirked at Genji. "Yes, it is. After all, I've seen you meditate. I find it hard to believe you're able to sit there for more than five minutes without causing some form of a disturbance."

It was true that at first Genji had extreme trouble sitting still for mediation. He'd grow bored, finding something to distract himself with. Sometimes he'd just sit there and stare at Zenyatta while the Omnic meditated, the gentle bell-sounds from his mala almost enough to put Genji to sleep. But recently he's been able to sit still for almost an hour, sometimes more than that. Just the other night he managed to meditate for two hours, it had been quite a shock when Zenyatta had nudged him into awareness stating that their meditation session was done.

"Well I've gotten better at meditating, if you must know." Genji stuck his nose up in the air, "Zenyatta told me that I'm a quick learner!"

Hanzo raised a brow, resting on of his arms on the back of the couch. "Oh really? Then prove it."

At this Genji paused and cocked his head to the side in question. "Eh?"

"Prove it," Hanzo spoke slowly, as if explaining something to a child. "If you've gotten so good at meditating, then you should be able to clear your mind and summon your Dragon into a fully tangible form."

Hanzo held out one hand, the one with his tattoo. As if like a ripple in water, two scaled serpents rose from the ink. They were as small and as sleek as Genji's, though their scales were a vibrant electric blue and they held themselves with an air of elegance, their whiskers lashing with power and crackling slightly with electricity.

The solid Dragons gave a huff of greeting to Genji, blowing out smoke from their noses. The white mist cleared from the air leisurely while one of the Dragons coiled around Hanzo's neck, the other slipping down to climb onto Genji's lap and curl up there.

Unlike Genji, Hanzo named his twin serpents, though Genji sometimes wondered if it was actually Hanzo who had named them and not their father. The one on his lap was Akira, Genji knew that much because out of the two, Akira was the only one who willingly left Hanzo to cuddle Genji in some way. He didn't think the other one, Hikaru, hated him, it was more of the fact that it liked to cuddle no one but Hanzo.

Grimacing, Genji tried to ignore the three equally expectant looks he was receiving, opting to close his eyes and focus on his Dragon. He probed the snoozing beast in his mind, earning an annoyed huff and a glare from the spirit. At more of his mental nudging, the Dragon finally uncoiled itself and listened to Genji's summon.

Satisfied that his Dragon was now up and participating, Genji took a deep breath and cleared his mind, going through the motions of his meditation. Except this time, he turned his focus inward, concentrating on his Dragon and using every ounce of his willpower to summon the thing. Genji refused to let Hanzo think his meditation sessions with Zenyatta were pointless. They were seriously helping Genji stop the incessant buzzing of his mind, plus it was his precious time with Zenyatta. Genji would be damned before he let Hanzo think he was wasting his time.

With a deep rumble, his Dragon seemed to agree. A chill came from Genji's back, something far different than the usual feelings his Dragon would send to him. This felt freaky and good all at the same time, almost like something that was sticking to him was finally peeling off. Except it was only coming from his back and the tattoo that encompassed it. Shuddering once the feeling passed, Genji opened his eyes when a rather solid weight settled on his shoulder.

Genji glanced to the side, eyes widening as he came face to face with his Dragon, the beast no longer transparent. While Hanzo and his Dragons were strangely quiet, Genji was busy trying to wrack his brain for what just happened.

From what Hanzo had told him from his own experience, summoning the Dragon in a tangible form was different from summoning them in their transparent one. With the transparent one, they could appear anywhere since they didn't have a solid body and were pretty much spirits. Yet when they were summoned with an actually physical body, they always had to come from the tattoo. The tattoo did something like "grant" them their body since their spirit was already there. If they were being honest, Genji and Hanzo weren't completely sure of the schematics on Dragons gaining a corporeal form.

Genji glanced up, seeing Hanzo stare at his Dragon with so much shock and surprise. It was the first time Genji had seen his brother at a loss for words. Grinning smugly, Genji grabbed his Dragon by its scruff, holding it out proudly to Hanzo. It was odd, finally being able to feel his Dragon. Genji would almost describe the feeling as euphoric with how lightheaded he was feeling.

"Ha! Take that! You're not the only one who can make a solid snake!" He wriggled the Dragon in his hand, struggling between the urge to rub the scaled beast in Hanzo's face or simply just hold it.

Hanzo's Dragons broke out into a purr, mirroring the pleased expression that blossomed in Hanzo's eyes. He grinned, reaching out and patting the scaled beast's head. Opening its small mouth in a grin, Genji's Dragon snapped its head out and playfully bit Hanzo's hand, hanging on and growling playfully.

Hanzo chuckled, "I'm impressed. Looks like that Omnic really has been doing you some good. I was wrong to assume you couldn't meditate to save your life."

Genji felt a maniacal laugh bubble up in his chest, "Ooh shit! You actually said you were wrong! The sky must be falling, seas flooding! I have to tell Oto-san before the world truly ends!"

Practically flinging himself off the couch after setting his game down, Genji scampered to one of the windows and opening it. Akira let out an annoyed cry at being jostled, but settled down in Hanzo's lap and growled sulkily. Genji's Dragon let go of Hanzo, chirping as it floated after its host.

"Let's go!" He cried, already climbing out.

"Use the door, you barbarian!" Hanzo snapped, picking up Akira and standing. But he too made a move to follow Genji to the window.

Genji, of course, wouldn't listen, he enjoyed jumping in and out of windows too much. Tobikuma had once said that Genji had gotten that habit from their mother, the woman apparently scaring the crap out of Tobikuma every time she'd fling herself out of a window, even when pregnant. When he was younger, Hanzo had been like Genji, using windows to climb in and out of places. But eventually he stopped the habit because the Elders thought it was unseemly for the Shimada heirs to act like monkeys, as they put it. Though there were times that Hanzo indulged the little habit, usually when Genji was involved, like now.

Genji stuck his tongue out at Hanzo over his shoulder, "Where's the fun in that?"

He swung out the window and up the side of the building, climbing onto the roof. Hanzo rolled his eyes, watching his brother's Dragon fly out after him, chirping wildly and excitedly because this was the first time it was tangible enough to feel the rush of air against its scales and mane. Huffing, Hanzo looked between his Dragons, sharing a small, exasperated smile with them.

"Might as well."

And with that he climbed out the window and followed after his brother, his Dragons flanking him along the way. With Hanzo's insight on his father's schedule, having memorized it since Hanzo would usually join his father for the meetings, it didn't take long for the boys to find Tobikuma.

He was sitting in his room, glasses pushed high on his nose as he read from a book. The man would occasionally reach out to take his tea cup sitting on the low table, sipping from it elegantly before setting it back down and turning the page. It had been a quiet day, peaceful almost. He hadn't had to do anything substantial this morning besides breaking the fingers of someone he was threatening. Tobikuma was quite pleased with his free day, hoping to use the time to relax and catch up on the book he had started a few weeks ago.

Yet just as he was once again reaching for his tea cup, his window panels slammed open, causing him to jolt and drop his book. It landed on the table, barely missing his tea cup.

A string of curses left the elder Shimada as he quickly turned to look at the window, tense posture relaxing only slightly. Hanzo and Genji were grinning at him from the window, both of them hanging upside down and staring in.

"Oto-san, guess what?!" Genji practically squealed.

Tobikuma felt a fond smile pulling at his face, sighing softly. Honestly his son's entrance reminded him so much of Kimiko and how she'd greet Tobikuma when they first started going out. It was a frightful experience if he was being honest. After all, it wasn't every day that your window was slammed open and a girl would jump in demanding to go fishing. However Tobikuma now looked at these memories with a warm fondness, that feeling swelling every time he looked at his sons.

"What is it, Hanzo, Genji?" Tobikuma sighed, gesturing for them to come into the room.

Hanzo slipped in first, his Dragon's following him. Tobikuma raised a brow, it wasn't often that Hanzo summoned his Dragons into a palpable form, especially when there were guests in the compound. Just as he was starting to think this was an important and serious manner, Genji flung himself into the room and gave a flourish of a bow, gesturing wildly to the window.

"I present to you my solid– and quite squishy if I'm being honest– Dragon!"

With that Tobikuma watched as Genji's Dragon darted into the room, charging straight for Tobikuma and slamming into him. Not expecting the weight, Tobikuma was jolted back slightly, a hand coming out to brace himself with the floor. He looked down at the non-transparent serpent currently burrowing its head into his chest, crooning happily.

Eyes widening, Tobikuma shot his head up to look between Genji and Hanzo. "You were able to make a completed summon? Genji, that's wonderful!"

Genji and his spirit preened at the praise, both puffing their chests out. Genji smirked, pretending to brush dust off his clothes.

"It was nothing. Only a matter of time before it happened. No need to be blown speechless like Hanzo was."

Giving his brother a pointed glare, Hanzo turned to look back at his father. "It isn't Genji you should be praising, really. He has been meditating with one of the monks and apparently the meditation sessions helped him clear that empty hollow he calls his head."

"Piss off, Hanzo." Genji snapped, scowling at his brother and hunching his shoulders defensively.

Tobikuma hummed, patting the green spirit's head, "I assume he has no clue about your Dragon?" Tobikuma could already guess which Omnic his son was hanging around. Mondatta had personally come to talk to him about the type of person Genji was. It was clear he had been worried about his fellow Omnic, just as Tobikuma had been worried about Genji. So they both swapped information, Tobikuma asking about the type of character Zenyatta was while Mondatta asked about Genji.

At this Genji blinked, raising a brow. "Well duh, of course he doesn't. I'm not stupid enough to spill about that!"

"Could've fooled me…" Hanzo muttered, rolling his eyes.

Tobikuma nodded his head, stroking the Dragon's mane and listening to it purr form his ministrations. "Good, keep it that way."

With a nudge, Tobikuma sent the Dragon back to Genji. It flew up, curling around its master's neck and purring as it licked his cheek. Genji grinned, reaching up and scratching it under its jaw, chuckling as it purred even louder.

"I will." Genji hummed.

Looking up at him and pausing in its purring, Genji's Dragon nudged him and silently reminded Genji of what he had been planning to tell his father yesterday before he had forgotten. With the reminder, Genji snapped his finger and his eyes widened.

"Oh right! Almost forgot," Genji said, getting the attention of those in the room. "I'm going to be going with the monks to their next speech. The one on the outskirts of Hanamura, I think it's like an hour drive to get there? I can't really remember, I'll have to ask Zenyatta. Though I'm pretty sure he said it was an hour, I remember complaining about it. But then again, I'd complain if it was 30 minutes, maybe-."

Tobikuma held up a hand, ceasing his son's chatter. "Wait, hold on. You're voluntarily going to a four hour event, six if you're counting the drive to and from, without me having to so much as mention it to you?"

Genji shrugged, "Well yeah. Is that so surprising?" Genji didn't see what the problem was. He usually decided to do things without permission anyways. Was it because his father thought Genji would be bored during the speeches? While he wasn't wrong, they were extremely boring, that didn't mean Genji didn't have fun. He got to chat with Hibiscus and Zenyatta before the speeches started, plus it was extremely nice to see Zenyatta dress up. Not only that, but they'd have the chance to cuddle in the car for an hour! That was the best way for Genji to score points with the Omnic monk.

' **We're going to be late for dance practice,** ' His Dragon rumbled in Genji's head, nudging the young Shimada's cheek with his muzzle.

Blinking down at the serpent, Genji nodded and willed his Dragon to return to his tattoo. It slid down his back, settling over the clothed skin before sinking into the clothes and disappearing. Shivering at the sensation, Genji cleared his throat and already started to climb out the window.

"Well I gotta go! Zenyatta's going to start teaching me how to waltz! Don't wanna keep him waiting!"

And without pausing for an answer, Genji was gone, leaving two stunned Shimada's and two perplexed Dragons. Hanzo glanced from the window to his father, brows creased slightly.

"Oto-san," He started, hesitating when Tobikuma turned to look at him. "I… Worry for Genji. I have not seen him act like this since… Well… Ever."

Tobikuma frowned, easily reading the concern on Hanzo's face. He sighed, rubbing his temples with a hand. "I worry as well. Usually when he's this gung-ho about something, it spells out trouble. I can only hope this isn't the case…"

Hanzo nodded, settling a hand on Hikaru's head when the beast nuzzled him. "You and I both…"


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Ayyy here's a chapter. So I'm gonna be pretty busy in a few days. For starters I'm packing for a week long trip, then I'm gonna be working on cosplay for Phoenix Comic Con (it's in two weeks and I'm still not ready :'D ), and then I've got to finish some commissions for art. So yeah... I leave in like... 6 days. So I'll pretty much have no updates for two weeks? Maybe three? It depends on if I can find the time to write, sorry ;u;" But if you ever want to get into contact with me, just message me on any of the links in my profile. Or just PM me here. While I'm gone though, I will be holding a pole! You guys can vote on the outfit Zenyatta wears to the next speech. You can pick between a dress (it'll be backless so we can see that sweet tattoo ;v), a suit, or just his normal monk robes! You can vote by going to my tumblr and putting in the asks one of the three outfit choices! And, as a bonus, if you feel inclined to, you can also put in a date you'd want Zenyatta and Genji to go on. If I like your idea, I might add it in for the next chapter~ But only if you want to! c: You don't need to add an idea you'd like to see if you don't feel the need to. I've got some cute date ideas stored away somewhere in my noggin. Anyways thank you for reading and thank you for your wonderful comments! Honestly they always make my day and with every chapter, I always look forward to them! Thanks again!

* * *

"You seem upset." Zenyatta hummed, pouring a cup of tea for the person currently clinging to his back.

Genji let out a whine, nuzzling Zenyatta's shoulder. Instead of giving the Omnic a response, he simply wrapped his arms around Zenyatta's waist and hugged him close.

Zenyatta paused, setting the tea pot down and looking over his shoulder, lifting a hand to ruffle Genji's hair. "What troubles you?"

Biting his lip and debating on if he should answer, Genji sighed and lifted his head in order to look at the Omnic. "Nothing in particular. I'm just… Bored."

It wasn't like Genji could tell Zenyatta he was feeling conflicted about the bet. On one hand he refused to back down, but on the other hand, he wanted so much to not take advantage of Zenyatta and no doubt ruin their friendship. Zenyatta has been nothing but kind to Genji, even following the many whims of the young Shimada.

A soft hum came from the Omnic as he handed Genji the cup of tea, waiting for him to extract himself from Zenyatta's back in order to hold the cup and drink from it. Though Genji was no longer clinging to Zenyatta, he was still close enough to lean against the other. Zenyatta didn't seem bothered, he simply set his hands in his lap and watched Genji.

"If that is the case, then perhaps we could do something to alleviate your boredom?"

Genji paused in blowing on the tea, "What did you have in mind?"

Zenyatta fiddled with his hands, "Well I thought we could spar? I do recall promising you such a thing. And you've been so dutiful in attending evening meditation. Not only that, but you've even stopped by in order to learn how to dance. So instead of our normal routine, I thought we could spar till our evening meditation? If you're up for it, that is."

As he scrambled to sit up properly, Genji quickly put his cup down and stared at Zenyatta with wide, hopeful eyes. "Really?! You wanna spar with me?!"

That was enough to perk up Genji's mood, hell, even his Dragon was pushing against his mind in interest.

"Can we go now? Will you fight with your mala? Do I have to hold back?"

"Genji," Zenyatta held up a hand, chuckling warmly at his eagerness. "Calm down for a moment. Why don't you finish your tea while I go and get Hibiscus? Then you can lead the three of us to a place we can spar. Preferably somewhere we won't be interrupted? I'm… Not eager to spar with the chance that someone might see my mala floating."

With how hard Genji was nodding, Zenyatta was afraid his head would pop off. "Yeah, I totally get you! Don't worry, I've got an idea! So does that mean I don't have to hold back?"

Zenyatta stood up, tilting his head to the side as he thought about it. "With me… I don't think so since I won't be doing hand-to-hand combat. I'll be fighting with my mala, and they're used more as projectiles more than anything, so it would put you at a disadvantage if you held back. Though you won't need to hold back so much if you spar with Hibiscus; she'll be the one to hold back instead of you."

At that admission, Genji pouted. Did Zenyatta really think Genji needed a handicap against Hibiscus? "Why?"

"Well I just don't think a carbon and metal fist connecting with your ribs at full force would be good for you."

Ok, Genji had to admit that Zenyatta had a point there. That sounded like it would hurt worse than sparring with his father. At least with Tobikuma, Genji walked away in the end with only bruises. If Hibiscus hit him full force, especially with the left hook Zenyatta warned him about, then Genji was positive he'd break something important.

Nodding, Genji sipped at his tea in the hopes that it made him appear calm and not at all nervous at the prospect of his beautiful face being crushed by an Omnic's fist. "Makes sense. I'll leave you to finding her then."

Zenyatta dipped his head in farewell before exiting the room, leaving Genji to his drink. Genji wasted no time in downing the warm liquid, enjoying the burning that rushed down his throat and pooled in his gut. If he was being honest, when Genji was younger he pretended that this was the feeling his Dragon had after it breathed fire. His Dragon had yet to tell him differently, so Genji still held onto that childish concept. After all, how cool would it be if he really could breathe fire like his Dragon? Genji would've set Hanzo's shoes on fire whenever Hanzo pissed him off. Or maybe he'd use it for pranks, like lighting fireworks when no one was looking and then just watching the chaos afterwards.

Genji continued to pour the tea into the cup and drink it down, trying to finish the liquid as fast as he could. Though his throat felt a little numb from how hot the tea was, Genji wasn't in any pain. Maybe because he had a Dragon spirit, Genji was more tolerant to the heat of some things. That isn't to say that Genji would get away scot free if he stuck his hand in a fire, it just meant that if Genji suck his hand in boiling water, it wouldn't be agonizing.

By the time Genji was finished and letting his stomach settle from the liquid, the door slid open, Zenyatta standing in the doorway, Hibiscus leaning against his back and looking over his shoulder into the room.

"Let's go, broccoli! Time's wasting!" She called, earning a fond chuckle from her brother.

"Hibiscus, please. It would be rude to demand Genji rush. This is all for fun, is it not? So let us not make the entire experience unpleasant." Zenyatta hummed, tilting his head in a smile.

Genji grinned, hopping up onto his feet and heading out the door, closing it behind him. "Alright! I've got the perfect place we can spar. It's a bit of a walk, though. But it's in the area only the Shimada family are allowed to enter, so we don't have to worry about anyone stumbling across our sparring."

With the reveal of that information, Zenyatta paused in his walking. "If it is only reserved for those in your family, would it be wise to let us enter? I wouldn't want you to get in trouble because we were trespassing." His tone was laced with worry, Genji found it endearing.

Chuckling, Genji slung and arm over the monk's shoulders, tugging him towards the stairs and down to the exit of the guest quarters. "Don't worry about it! Sure it's only for the Shimada family, but selected guests can enter that area. My father gave Mondatta clearance since the two of them usually meet to talk about who knows what. So I'm personally giving you two clearance! Come see me whenever you need some spice in your life!" He grinned at Zenyatta, adding a wink for good measure.

Zenyatta ducked his head and a light plume of steam rose from his form. Hibiscus, ever the charmer, merely scoffed and waved a hand dismissively. "Thanks, but you're a little too wasabi for my taste. I'm finding myself to be a deep fan of cinnamon lately."

The sound Zenyatta made was something akin to a horrified gasp and a strained giggle. "Hibiscus!" He made to playfully hit her arm, but Hibiscus quickly dodged out of harm's way.

"What? It's true! And Juliet is some **very** tasty cinnamon." The Omnic purred.

Genji laughed at the exasperated sound Zenyatta made, the monk shaking his head. "That's it, I can't have this conversation with you. Must you always have your mind in the gutter?"

Hibiscus shrugged casually, "It's where I belong."

Thankfully their conversation delved away from certain innuendos, instead turning to mundane topics and things like seating arrangements for their next speech. Genji's father had insisted on the monks traveling in style, so he had rented out enough limousines to fit all the Shimbali. With the ones Tobikuma had picked, the seating would be six to a car. Genji had already claimed dips on sitting next to Zenyatta, though Hibiscus had pretended to fight Genji for that right only to get him railed up. It worked enough that Zenyatta had to step in and calm a pouting ninja and a teasing Omnic. It left Genji wondering if this is what it would've been like to have an older sister; it surely felt like it if he was being honest.

Genji led them to a secluded area behind one of the personal buildings. They would be hidden from anyone snooping around and there was only one way to get in to this hidden section of flat ground. As an extra caution, Genji had waited till Zenyatta and Hibiscus were out of sight before he summoned his Dragon and hid the wriggling snake in a bush.

"Stay here, keep an eye out. If Hanzo or my dad get too close, go and… Bite their ankles or something. Anything to keep them from coming over here."

' **But I want to spar with our prey too!** ' His Dragon whined.

"Next time, promise!"

The spirit blew a frustrated plume of smoke from its nostrils, curling up into a pouty pile of limbs. ' **Fine. But next time is my battle, Sparrow.** '

Genji rolled his eyes, not bothering with a response. Sure he felt a little bad because he knew he wouldn't let his Dragon fight Zenyatta, but that was because the damn thing had to be kept a secret! It was one thing to let it spar against Hanzo, but to fight against Zenyatta was another matter entirely. It was like his Dragon didn't get the fact that it was supposed to be kept a secret. Genji bet Hanzo didn't have this much trouble with his Dragons.

Clapping his hands together, Genji grinned at the two Omnics mumbling softly to each other. "Right! So let's spar!"

Sharing a glance, Hibiscus and Zenyatta nodded before Hibiscus stepped forward. Zenyatta, on the other hand, moved closer to the building, sitting down and leaning against it. Genji was slightly confused, following the Omnic's movements with his eyes.

"You will be sparring with Hibiscus first," Zenyatta said in ways of an explanation. "I'll play as medic should either of you require it. Hopefully not."

"Oh, ok." Genji nodded, only slightly disappointed that he wouldn't be able to fight Zenyatta first. Though this did give him a good chance to show off his awesome moves to Zenyatta.

Zenyatta flashed Genji a smile, "Good luck."

Genji flashed the Omnic a grin and a wink, holding a thumbs up. This earned him a chuckle from Zenyatta and an exaggerated head roll from Hibiscus, most likely expressing that if she had eyes, she would be rolling them.

"Alright, remember you two, this is a simple spar! No fighting with the aim to hurt. If you do, you will get a Discord Orb attached to you as punishment." Pausing for his threat to sink in, Zenyatta nodded his head. "This is hand-to-hand combat, but since Genji is human, Hibiscus will get handicaps. So that means you have to pull back your punches and not put all your force into them. I want Genji to walk away from this alive and in once piece."

Hibiscus groaned, slumping backwards slightly. "What a drag. I never have to pull punches when we spar."

"That's because I'm made from the same material you are. Now, do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," She snorted, crouching down into a fighting stance.

Genji took note that she had ditched her sandals and had rolled the fabric of her pants up so they were collected around her thighs. She had also shed off the upper layer of her robes and had thrown them onto a small bush near her, leaving her upper frame clad only in a pale blue tank top with the words " _cute chick_ " and a little baby chicken under it.

Getting into his own fighting stance, Genji's body tensed, like a snake waiting to strike. They stood there waiting, neither making a move towards the other. It wasn't like they were sizing up the competition, it was more like they were awaiting the go-ahead from there referee/medic.

Thankfully they didn't have to wait long, for Zenyatta quickly jolted when he realized why they were waiting. "Oh! Sorry! You may begin!"

And like that they moved, Hibiscus being the first to launch at Genji and swing a tight fist at him. Genji dodged to the side in order to avoid it, jabbing out and aiming a palm strike to Hibiscus' midsection.

She took the hit and rolled with it, letting the force push her back. But Hibiscus didn't stay far for long, in only a split second she was back in Genji's space, throwing punch after punch on his body. Genji blocked a few with his forearms, shoving the flying limbs away from his body. Genji weaved out of harm's way, jumping and flipping over Hibiscus when she made another lung for him. The moment his feet landed on the ground, he gave a roundhouse kick, hitting her in the back and knocking her to the floor.

Hibiscus made a sputtering sound from her voice box, pushing herself up in order to look at Genji over her shoulder. "No fair! How come I have to pull my punches but he can use his ninja training?! Zen! I call foul!"

Zenyatta shrugged, "Would it not prove more of a challenge if you managed to land a hit on an opponent that moved more than I?"

Despite her scoffing, Hibiscus did stand up and get into a readying stance. "Fine then. Don't whine with me if he makes me so pissed I actually forget to pull a punch."

Though she was only bluffing, it was fun to see the way Zenyatta stiffened and the lights on his forehead flicker in concern. Hibiscus chuckled to herself, holding a hand out towards Genji and crooking a finger at him, beckoning him into battle.

"Well? Come at me, broccoli. Show me how skilled your ninja butt really is."

Genji smirked, "You asked for it."

This time it was Genji that launched himself at Hibiscus, the two of them bouncing around each other while also throwing a barrage of kicks and punches. Hibiscus' fists skimmed over Genji often enough that he could still feel the ghost of power behind them. If her pulling her punches was enough for Genji to still feel the wisps of strength, then he wondered how strong she was when she didn't pull a punch. Genji made a note to take Hibiscus to the gym and see how much she could lift.

But this wasn't an entirely one-sided battle. Genji also made a few hits before he was quickly jumping away from Hibiscus' dangerous left hand. From the small growling sounds Hibiscus was making, Genji could tell she was getting frustrated. She had only been getting close enough to barely hit Genji, only scraping him with her fists.

When Genji just about missed a fist to his midsection, he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. It was green and scaly and was crawling straight for Zenyatta. His gaze instantly snapped to the Dragon that was currently trying to indiscreetly pick its way towards the monk that was too distracted to notice. Genji internally screamed, biting his lip so he wouldn't shout at the serpent.

' _Don't you fucking dare you sorry excuse for a Dragon!_ ' Genji yelled in his mind, causing the Dragon to jump.

Their gazes locked for a split moment before Zenyatta was crying Genji's name and, with a loud crack, Hibiscus' fist connected with Genji's jaw. The young Shimada fell backwards and onto the ground with a grunt. He could already feel blood seeping from the cut on his lip his teeth had inflicted. Not only that, but Genji's jaw was throbbing painfully, and that was from only one punch! Genji dazedly thanked the Gods it had been Hibiscus' right hand and not her left, for he was pretty sure he'd have gotten a concussion from the hit. Though he wasn't sure if he had one now or not, his head was swimming something fierce.

He heard Zenyatta yell his name again and Hibiscus curse, the two of them quickly sprinting to Genji's side, kneeling next to him. Zenyatta's looked panicked, his hands twitching as he tried to decide between aiding Genji in sitting up and instead letting him lay there.

"Genji, Genji can you hear me?" The monk asked, already pushing a healing orb towards the downed ninja. While the orb did its work, Zenyatta went through the steps to check if Genji was concussed. He had downloaded all the information on concussions a while back when someone very important to him had been inflicted with such a thing. It was safe to say that, thanks to Zenyatta's extensive databank, he was kind of an expert in that diagnostic department.

Genji let out a grunt, blinking blearily up at the Omnic's ever blank faceplate. Funny, even though Hibiscus and Zenyatta didn't have faces that could express emotion, their body language was making them practically reek with worry. He lifted a hand, patting Zenyatta's leg and chuckled.

He sighed, already feeling the orb do its work. "I'm fine, Zenyatta. Just a bit rattled."

When Zenyatta gave the ok that Genji was not in any danger of a concussion, Hibiscus took that as the sign to grab Genji by the shoulders and shake him for all he was worth.

"Are you nuts?! I could've broken your jaw! Only the iris can fix that in a split second, and you and I aren't anywhere near touching it, so we would've had to cart you off to the hospital! What gives, you dummy?! Looking away in the middle of a battle! Do you have to ogle Zen every minute of the day?!" She berated Genji in-between shakes.

Zenyatta thankfully saved Genji from the raving Omnic, gently prying her hands off of Genji's person. "Hibiscus, we do not manhandle injured people."

Genji pushed himself into a sitting position, "I'm fine, Zen. Promise. Your orb pretty much healed me up!"

It was clear Zenyatta still wasn't convinced with Genji's words. Resting a hand on Genji's forehead, Zenyatta made a clicking sound, brushing his fingers through Genji's hair in a comforting manner. If he was being honest, the feeling of Zenyatta's fingers running through his hair was enough to make him almost purr.

"Maybe we should hold off on you and me sparring?"

"What?! Why? I'm fine!" Genji sputtered, a whine dripping into his tone.

Zenyatta sighed artificially, crossing his arms over his chest. "Genji, Hibiscus almost broke your jaw!"

"But she didn't!"

The monk looked away, clearly conflicted between sparring with Genji and instead putting it off for another day. Genji reached out, cupping Zenyatta's faceplate and gently coaxing the Omnic to look at him.

He smiled softly, hoping it came off as reassuring. "Come on, Zen. Please? I promise if I feel even the slightest bit off, I'll tell you."

"And I'll force him to go tell his dad what happened and that he needs to visit a hospital." Hibiscus added, hoping to aid in Genji's favour.

It paid off, thankfully, for after a few seconds, Zenyatta's voice box made another sigh and his shoulders slumped. "Fine… But you two better hold to your promises."

Genji grinned, he and Hibiscus holding a thumbs up. "You can count on us!" They said in unison.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Do people even read the Author's Note? Also hopefully the Dragon info I'm putting in here makes sense :U

* * *

"And… Begin!" Hibiscus cried from where she sat.

Not a moment passed before Genji was dodging an orb being thrown at him, a cry of surprise leaving the ninja at how fast those mala moved. Genji jumped over the next barrage that Zenyatta threw at him, ducking and diving out of the way in order to avoid being hit. Zenyatta was doing everything to keep Genji on the defensive, making it harder for the human to get close enough to land a hit on Zenyatta.

Genji's goal was a little different than what it had been with Hibiscus. Against Zenyatta, all Genji had to do was get close enough to touch him without being hit. If Genji could do that, then he'd win the match. If he couldn't and Zenyatta landed a hit, then Genji would lose. And for Genji, losing was just not an option.

Flipping sideways and avoiding several more orbs, Genji watched as Zenyatta paused, out of mala to throw. He took this moment to charge at Zenyatta and gain ground. It only took a second for Zenyatta to press his hands together and concentrate, summoning his orbs back to his person. Just as Genji made a lunge for him, Zenyatta weaved out of the way and pushed an orb at Genji. Genji dropped to the floor with a loud grunt, rolling out of the way as the Omnic threw more orbs after him. They left sizeable dents in the ground, making Genji internally whimper at the damage they could do if they had actually connected with his body.

They danced around each other for a lengthy period of time, Hibiscus making the occasional squeal or gasp when either Genji or Zenyatta almost landed a hit. Eventually the two were left breathing hard, Genji out of necessity and Zenyatta merely recreating the sound because his internal fans were working overtime.

The young Shimada's mind worked quickly, trying to figure out the best way he could get close to Zenyatta without getting hit. The only option Genji had was to rush Zenyatta when he was recalling his mala, but those were only a few precious seconds. Genji didn't have nearly enough time to catch Zenyatta before he would be throwing an orb. Unless Genji charged at Zenyatta, dodged at the last minute, and then maybe swiped the Omnic's legs. Or, better yet, maybe Genji could pull that one trick. The one he does on Hanzo that always manages to catch the other by surprise no matter how many times Genji performs it.

Mind made up, Genji licked his lips and sprinted at the Omnic, performing a quick serpentine and avoiding Zenyatta's mala. Genji watched as Zenyatta lost orb after orb until he had no more and was beginning to bring his hands together in order to call back the orbs.

' _Now!'_ Genji cried in his head, charging straight for Zenyatta. With how quickly Genji was advancing on him, the monk had little time to summon his orbs. He was forced to jump back and away from Genji's limbs that darted out, trying to hook around Zenyatta or at least smack into him.

Zenyatta gasped and twisted his entire body, turning himself in a complete circle just as Genji dived for him. He saw it at the last minute, the orb flying towards him, coming from somewhere on the Omnic's person. Genji had the thought that Zenyatta had hidden the orb as a last resort in case he got too close, like now.

Just as the orb smashed into Genji's side, a hand snagged around Zenyatta's waist and brought the Omnic crashing down to the ground with a yelp, Genji following. The two lay there, Zenyatta's fans whirring loudly while Genji wheezed, the air knocked out of him from the impact of the orb.

"Yeah," He choked, clearing his throat with much trouble. "Those hurt like a bitch."

This spurred Zenyatta into action, the monk quickly kneeling by Genji. He called back his orbs before rolling Genji on his back so he wasn't eating dirt, letting an orb of healing settle over his form.

"Sorry! I sometimes forget how hard to throw my mala so they don't cause permanent damage!" Zenyatta had the decency to sound sheepish.

Hibiscus made her way over, snickering loudly. "At least you didn't hit him in the head and give him a concussion."

The two laughed at that, each nodding their head in agreement. Now that would've been hard to explain since Zenyatta was sure his Harmony Orb couldn't heal a concussion. Mondatta would **not** be happy if Zenyatta were to give someone a concussion with the mala he had been given as a gift.

Clearing his throat, Genji sat up when he felt the aches dissipate from where the orb had hit. "So… Who won?"

Tilting her head, Genji knew she was grinning at him. "Why, it was a draw, lovely little broccoli. Zenyatta hit you just as you tackled him!"

"What?! No way!" Genji cried, pouting profusely.

While Genji was disappointed he hadn't won, Zenyatta was too busy chuckling at the face Genji was pulling. He pat the green-haired man's cheek, standing up and calling his orb back from Genji, taking the healing warmth with it. Zenyatta held out a hand, helping the pouting human up into a standing position.

"Fret not, Genji," Zenyatta giggled, "I am sure you'll beat me next time."

That caught Genji's attention and did well in snapping him out of his sulking. "So there'll be a next time?"

Zenyatta inclined his head towards Genji, giving their conjoined hands a small squeeze. "Of course. So long as you keep up with our meditation sessions."

The grin that was flashed at the Omnic was almost blinding, Genji's enthusiasm coming off of him in waves. Of course he agreed, he had no reason not to! So, with that done and out of the way, the trio concluded their sparring session, Zenyatta letting his hand linger in Genji's grip. If that made Genji smile wider and flush lightly, no one said anything.

Eventually the days passed and Genji was being coaxed into a sleek black car, barely comprehending anything in his sleepy state. Genji had been woken up by Tobikuma extremely early in the morning, telling Genji he needed to get ready if he planned on going with Zenyatta to the location for the speeches. However, of course Genji didn't get up and went right back to bed. So, instead of stressing about his son, Tobikuma let Hanzo wake Genji up. Needless to say, being dragged out of bed by his ankles wasn't how Genji planned to start that morning.

Hanzo had thrown Genji's suit and tie at his limp body still lying on the floor and had then left the room, threatening bodily harm to Genji if he wasn't dressed by the time Hanzo got back. When Hanzo did return, it was to see Genji with his pants on, thankfully, but the young Shimada had fallen back asleep with his shirt half-way buttoned and his tie knotted in the most impossible of ways.

It took longer than it should have to keep Genji awake long enough to get dressed, even with Hanzo dishing out threats every time Genji's eyelids drooped. But the elder of the two didn't hold it against his younger brother, he knew Genji had extreme trouble waking up early in the mornings, especially if it was barely 5:30.

A stumbling Genji was escorted by Hanzo to the limo Zenyatta was using, the monk quite surprised when Genji collapsed into his arms. Hanzo didn't offer an explanation, instead he merely nodded his head in farewell and waved them off.

That was how Zenyatta was left half-dragging, half-carrying Genji towards the car and coaxing him to climb in. The moment Genji was sitting in the back with Zenyatta at his side, the ninja collapsed his head against the monk's shoulder, instantly passing out. Zenyatta chuckled at the adorable display, being sure to save the image to his Genji file. Across from them sat Mondatta and Hibiscus, both displaying their amusement in different ways. Mondatta's was a soft, airy laugh, Hibiscus' was a muffled snicker, her hands pressed over the front of her faceplate where her voice box was located.

It was a struggle to buckle Genji up, but somehow the monk managed. He then buckled himself up and wriggled a bit to get more comfortable in his seat. Genji mumbled a complaint at the movement, nuzzling his head further into the monk's robes. Unlike the first speech, Zenyatta didn't dress up for this one. He decided that he would only dress up for the first and last set of speeches they had in their itinerary. It would make it more memorable, so he believed.

The trip to the outskirts of Hanamura was long and uneventful, Genji pretty much sleeping through it. He woke up on occasion, blearily looking around in confusion since he wasn't sleeping peacefully in his room. It wasn't till his sleep-glazed eyes landed on Zenyatta that his confusion gave way to a goofy grin and he nuzzled back against the Omnic.

"Mmm, not a bad sight to wake up to…" He mumbled after waking up the third time.

Zenyatta chuckled, lifted the hand Genji wasn't clinging to. He carded his fingers through Genji's messy hair, his fans picking up speed when Genji nuzzled into the action.

"I admit I'm also enjoying the view." He murmured, keeping his voice low enough so that only Genji could hear.

Sending him a sleepy grin, Genji leaned his head in closer so he could whisper directly into the Omnic's hearing receptors. "Then why don't we make it a habit of waking up next to each other? Mmmm?"

The lights on Zenyatta's forehead flickered slightly, catching the attention of Mondatta and Hibiscus who were engaged in their own conversation. When they saw how close Genji and Zenyatta were to each other, they wisely avoided looking at the two and returned back to their conversation.

"Well it would be a wonderful way to wake up. I wouldn't be opposed to trying it."

Genji grinned, snaking his arms around Zenyatta and pulling him as close as he could with the seatbelts confining them. Genji nuzzled the juncture between Zenyatta's shoulder and his neck, taking a deep breath and smelling the faint remnants of the scented oils the Omnic used. A purr rumbled in Genji's chest, unhindered thanks to his sleep-clouded mind. Yawning, Genji placed an absentminded kiss to Zenyatta's neck, too tired to even gloat in the small shiver it elicited from his prey.

"Sounds good," He mumbled, "We can do that. Later though, sleep now."

And with another large yawn, Genji went right back to snoozing, completely unaware of the slightly flustered state Zenyatta was left in. Thankfully no other instances occurred when Genji would wake up the next few times, saving Zenyatta from blowing his core from overheating.

It took some softly whispered words and gentle shaking before Genji awoke, pulling himself out of the limo and stretching like a cat, popping bones back into place. He even let Zenyatta smooth down his hair and fix up his appearance, the ninja still trying to shake off the last dregs of sleep. Genji was only wide awake after they went backstage and Juliet offered him a tall cup of coffee, she also carrying one of equal height. Genji was more than thankful, downing one-third of the content in only a matter of seconds.

He finished off the coffee before he was to take his place near the podium. The speeches this time were different, as most of the speeches would be for each event. Mondatta spoke of the Iris and how acceptance was the start of equality, Zenyatta talked more about the relationships between people, and Hibiscus talked about honouring the past and learning from it.

After their speeches were done, Genji once again tuned out. It wasn't till there was a break that Genji stopped playing mental cards with his Dragon. Even now Genji was vaguely suspicious that the damned serpent was cheating, but then how would it be able to hide cards? It was imaginary Old Maid, there was just no way that the Dragon could hide it from Genji without him knowing.

During the break, Zenyatta sat next to him, much to Genji's delight. He also offered the green-haired male a bottle of water, two bagels, a small container of cream cheese, and a plastic knife.

"Sorry there isn't much else to offer. Though Mondatta said we'd be waiting another hour once the speeches end so that the drivers can get something to eat before we head back. Maybe you can get a better meal then?"

Genji nodded, finishing the rest of his bagels and drinking most of the water. "Sounds good! Oh! We could probably take a walk around after I'm done eating. I don't think it'll take a full hour for me to eat my food."

This earned him a laugh and a smile from the Omnic monk. "Then I look forward to it."

And Genji was looking forward to it too. He thought now might be a good time to ask Zenyatta if they could possibly take their relationship further. Maybe it was too soon, maybe Genji was misreading the signs, but he knew that even if Zenyatta rejected him, the monk was too kind to treat him any differently. If anything, it would let Genji know that he still had a while to go before he could actually ask the other out. Hopefully he wouldn't have to wait too long, for Genji didn't want to drag this out any longer than he had to.

After all, this is what it all boiled down to. The stupid bet. The one Genji regretted making with each passing moment he spent in Zenyatta's presence. Even his Dragon was reluctant to complete the task, both of them torn between honouring their pride and continuing with the bet, or forgoing it and seeking a relationship with Zenyatta all on its own. But… Was that what Genji wanted? A relationship with Zenyatta?

Genji had had relationships before, some lasting weeks, others lasting months. However, none of them had been serious, Genji had made sure of that. He kept those he dated at a distance, both parties agreeing to an open relationship. That was fine with Genji, he didn't like being tied down to just one person. But with Zenyatta, it was different. Genji found himself wanted to be with Zenyatta, romantic setting or not. And the idea of an open relationship, of Zenyatta seeking someone else to occupy his time when Genji wasn't there, it filled him with such a fierce jealousy that left him in shock. He hadn't known the monk for long and already he and his Dragon were staking a claim on him.

At this rate, Genji might just say "fuck it" to Jiro and his stupid bet. Yet Genji couldn't do that, he'd never hear the end of it if he did. Genji Shimada, playboy of Hanamura, falling for an Omnic monk from Nepal. It was laughable, completely ludicrous that a monk was able to destroy Genji's frivolous ways and make him a devoted partner. Genji couldn't let that happen, it would damage his reputation, make him the laughing stock of Hanamura till he was old and grey.

No, that couldn't happen, Genji wouldn't allow it. He had to keep up with this bet, he just had to. Even if the idea of hurting Zenyatta tore Genji up inside and made him sick to his stomach, Genji couldn't back down. Even if it took away Zenyatta's laugh and made him associate Genji with pain and sorrow, Genji couldn't let his pride falter. Though when he thought of it like that, Genji grew disgusted with himself. He was willing to ruin and crush such a pure person only to win a stupid bet. How despicable of a person was he?

Genji found himself musing on an imaginary scenario. What if he had met Zenyatta differently? Not at all because of a bet or anything, but because they had bumped into each other and started talking? Genji would be smitten from Zenyatta's witty charm, while Zenyatta would laugh at Genji's attempts at flirting and amuse him by returning the teasing. And maybe they would've gone out, Genji not having any ill intentions, just simply wanting to spend time with Zenyatta and get to know the Omnic on a personal level. It was a nice idea, one Genji wished was a reality rather than a dream. At least then he'd only be feeling conflicted on what outfit to wear for a date and not on a moral crisis.

"Genji?"

The young Shimada snapped out of his thoughts, turning his head to look at the figure sitting next to him. Even though his faceplate never changed expression, Genji could tell Zenyatta was concerned for him. And even if he couldn't read it in his body language, Genji could tell from the tone of his voice.

He smiled, hoping it didn't look as forced as it felt. Taking Zenyatta's hand, he laced their fingers together and squeezed. "Sorry, what were you saying? I got lost in thought."

Zenyatta stared at him for a moment longer before he hummed, looking back out over the park they had held the speeches out. The two of them had taken a walk after Genji ate, keeping to the outskirts of the park the Shimbali's event had been at. Currently they were alone, sitting impossibly close to each other on a bench. They had been talking about something, but Genji couldn't remember other than the fact that it had something to do with Zenyatta's speech.

"I was asking your opinion on the words I said today and the topic I addressed." Zenyatta chuckled, voice warm and inviting.

Genji blinked, "Oh! Well I thought it was pretty awesome! Relationships are important, I think. Social interaction in general is something everyone kinda seeks, doesn't need to be romantic or anything."

Nodding, Zenyatta looked down at their joined hands, his other hand moving to play with Genji's fingertips. "Yes, well I had a point I wished to talk to you about involving my speech."

"What about?"

"Well…" Zenyatta's hesitation piqued Genji's interest, giving the Omnic all of his attention. "I was thinking that, if you weren't against it… Would you be interested in seeking a relationship with me?"

Genji's eyes just about fell out of his skull with how wide he was opening them. His mouth dropped open and Genji sat there, gaping like a fish for what felt like hours. Finally his Dragon snapped itself out of its own shock and in turn, sent a jolt through Genji's tattoo, snapping him into action.

Sputtering, Genji let go of Zenyatta's hand in order to gesture wildly. "W-wait! You're asking me out?! Like, you want to go out with me? And date?!"

Zenyatta smiled, hunching his shoulders shyly. He fiddled with his own hands since he no longer had Genji's to mess with. "If that is alright with you, I would very much like to try it. U-unless I've completely misread the situation and your intentions! Then I apologize for my error!"

"No no no!" Genji exclaimed, waving his hands wildly. "You didn't misread anything!"

He blushed, shoulders slumping before he carded his fingers through his hair, messing the green locks up further. "Actually, I was kind of… Going to ask you out today. I was just trying to find the right time to ask."

The surprise from Zenyatta was palpable, as was his relief at not having misread the situation. "Really? You wanted to ask me out?"

Genji rubbed his face, trying to will away his blush. "Well yeah, I mean, why wouldn't I? You're fun to be around and you're a good fighter, plus you're smart and really graceful when you do anything, even if it's just walking. You can be serious but also know when to laugh, and you're laugh is one of the best things I've heard. Your sense of humour is great, and you care for everyone and everything. You're amazing."

Those where Genji's honest thoughts, he really did find Zenyatta to be something special. Even if their relationship was made of ill intentions, Genji decided he wouldn't leave Zenyatta with bad memories. If this truly happened, then he would make it work. He would give Zenyatta the best experience possible, then… After the bet was over, maybe they could see where they would go from there. Genji could only hope it was the same path and not different ones.

"Oh Genji," Zenyatta ducked his head, steam rising from a few pistons on his body. He tentatively looked up, "So… Would you like to go out?"

Genji found himself grinning impossibly wide, the ninja reaching out to take the monk's hands in his own. "Of course! I'd love to be your boyfriend, Zen!"

The laugh that came from the Omnic was one of pure delight, a sound that warmed Genji from head to toe and made his Dragon coil in glee. Genji labelled this as his favourite sound, for it was different from all of Zenyatta's laughs. This was a laugh just for Genji, one only Genji was allowed to hear, one only Genji could draw out of the beautiful Omnic. Genji's Dragon pressed against his mind, sending a demand out that Genji consented to almost immediately.

"Hey, Zen?" Genji's voice dropped to a whisper, the ninja biting his bottom lip. "Can… Can I kiss you?"

The Omnic's posture straightened and Zenyatta let out a soft "Oh".

Taking that as a bad sign, Genji began backtracking. "N-never mind! Forget it! Let's pretend I never asked that. Sorry to put you on the spot like that!" He sent a small curse to his Dragon, annoyed at it for giving him such ideas. Who suddenly asks a person they've dated for barely a minute if they could kiss? Maybe it was casual for Genji, but surely not Zenyatta!

A hand to his face pulled Genji from his thoughts, his eyes snapping to Zenyatta's faceplate, searching the never-changing face in confusion.

"Genji, I can see the steam rising from your ears with how hard you are thinking." Zenyatta chuckled warmly, leaning forward to rest his forehead gently against Genji's.

"Sorry…" Genji grinned wryly.

Zenyatta hummed and whispered, "I would enjoy it very much if you did kiss me."

Brown eyes widened and Genji's breathe held, waiting for Zenyatta to retract his offer. When the monk did no such thing, Genji croaked a small "ok" and lifted his hand, placing it on the nape of Zenyatta's neck. He licked his lips before taking the plunge and leaning forward, Zenyatta meeting him halfway.

Genji's lips pressed against the mouth-seam of Zenyatta's faceplate, the chrome one of the first things Genji's taste registered. He shuddered when a small shock of electricity sparked between their faces, Zenyatta's version of a lipless kiss. Genji sighed into the action, letting his eyes close as he pressed forward, lips sliding against Zenyatta's mouth-seam and getting small shocks in return.

A wondering hand found its way to Zenyatta's waist, Genji's thumb rubbing against the clothed body while his other hand tilted Zenyatta's head just so. Zenyatta hummed against Genji's lips, the sound of his fans picking up speed easily heard this close to the Omnic. His hands settled on Genji's chest, his face putting equal pressure into the kiss, yet letting Genji lead.

Needing to breath, Genji pulled back for only a quick moment before he was diving right back in, lips now leaving a trail across Zenyatta's face and across his jaw. Zenyatta gasped softly, tilting his head slightly as Genji's wondering mouth moved down towards his neck.

Yet before he could reach it, they were interrupted by Hibiscus slamming her hands down on the back of the bench and saying quite loudly:

" **You're in public**!"

Zenyatta and Genji sprung apart from each other, both in varying levels of embarrassment. Genji had a flush on his cheeks and was breathing a little hard while the lights on Zenyatta's forehead where blinking out of synch and his fans were working a mile a minute. Genji cleared his throat, adjusting his suit coat before nodding his head in slight thanks to the female identifying Omnic. Since when had Genji been the type to get so carried away after some light kissing? And in public no less? Thank any God listening that there had been no people around them at the current time; that would have been mortifying to explain to his father.

"A-apologies," Zenyatta stuttered, clearing his voice box.

Hibiscus waved a hand dismissively, resting her arms on the back of the bench and leaning down, her chin cradled in the palm of her hand. "Don't bother, even though I support you guys and your relationship, I seriously don't want it on the news that a Shimbali monk got banged on a bench in a public park. Not only would Mondatta _faint_ and possibly implode his core just to escape the embarrassment, but it'd reflect badly on the Shimbali. So save the steamy stuff for the bedroom, or else."

The two nodded, agreeing deeply with her logic. Even though it was solid reasoning, Genji's dragon apparently didn't think so. It was hissing and spitting furiously, angry at being interrupted before it could stake a full claim on the Omnic. Genji tried to sooth the Dragon, mentally petting and whispering to it on the car ride back to the Shimada Complex.

Though Genji said harsh things to the Dragon, that didn't mean he hated it. In fact, Genji truly loved the thing, for it was his spirit and no matter how much it angered Genji, the Dragon was a part of him. They were connected, through mind, body, and soul. The Dragon's anger was felt by Genji, however he was managing to subdue it and prevent it from showing outwardly.

Eventually he managed to sweet-talk his Dragon out of its bad mood and, thanks to the situation, Genji found himself reminiscing on when his Dragon had been the one to cheer Genji up when he had been in a slump. Though it had happened often in the past, the moment Genji remembered the most was when he had first met the spirit. That night when Genji laid down to rest, he found himself unintentionally dreaming about it. He had been so excited and amazed, unable to keep his eyes off the flopping green beast.

* * *

 _Genji was curled up on his bed, hiding under his blanket as he sobbed into his pillow. It was the anniversary of his mother's death, Kimiko having passed just four years ago. Even now the memory still hurt, the gunshots and screams of her dying Dragons still echoing in Genji's head. The memory haunted his dreams far more frequently around this time, leaving Genji a shaking mess when he awoke, more tears running tracks down his cheeks._

 _This was one of those times, Genji having woken up as he dreamt of his mother's death, reliving that one horrible night over and over again. If he thought about it, he could still feel her warmth as she wrapped Hanzo and him in a bloody, shaking hug. He could smell the sweet scent of her perfume and he could still feel her hair brushing against his cheeks as she kissed both him and Hanzo on the forehead. And her Dragons, Genji could hear the dying screams of Hoshiko and Ryuu as they fell, the agonizing sounds ringing in Genji's ears no matter how hard he pressed his hands over them._

 _Genji hiccupped and bit his lip, stifling a cry of pain as an intense heat washed over his body. He found himself unable to contain the next one, a scream ripping from his throat as he felt like his body was burning from the inside out. Genji convulsed under his blankets, choking on his gasps and yelps of pain, even when his room door was slammed open and Hanzo sprinted in, his twin Dragons floating after him in their small transparent form._

 _Hanzo had gained his spirits when he was 15, barely a year after Kimiko had passed. Now at the age of 18, he was still learning how to control the twin serpents. So far he'd managed to summon Hikaru and Akira in transparent forms, but beyond that he was at a loss for what to do. He didn't know how to make the Dragons return to his body, so he usually waited for them to do it themselves. Hanzo was progressing slowly, but at least he was getting somewhere._

 _The elder Shimada ripped back Genji's covers, grabbing his brother and rolling him onto his back. "Genji, Genji you need to breath!"_

 _Genji wailed, thrashing in Hanzo's grip. "Hurts! Anija!"_

 _Snapping his head up, Hanzo looked at his Dragons. "Go and get Oto-san! Hurry!"_

 _They didn't need to be told twice, already streaking out of the room in a blur. While they went to retrieve the boys' father, Hanzo worked on putting Genji into a sitting position and tilting his head back._

 _"Breathe, brother. I promise it will get easier." Hanzo murmured, having an idea on what was going on. This was the same way Hanzo had acted when he had started forming his tattoo. It was agonizing, Hanzo feeling like he was being electrocuted. Even his body had crackled with electricity at one point, the blue sparks searing his nerves and leaving pure anguish in their wake._

 _To Hanzo, Genji felt as if he was on fire, his skin hot to the touch and making Hanzo's own skin ache slightly. He could only assume that Genji must've felt like his insides were boiling. Unable to do anything, Hanzo could only cling to Genji and pet his head, brushing the thick black locks out of his face while making soft cooing sounds and comforting purrs. Genji sobbed but leaned into Hanzo's side, soaking up the comfort and finding some relief in how cool Hanzo's body was compared to his._

 _Hanzo looked up when he heard the sound of rushed footsteps, instinctually pulling Genji closer till he was sure the approaching figure wasn't a threat. Tobikuma stood in the doorway, breathing hard and staring while Hanzo's Dragons flew into the room and furiously twisted in the air, growling and chirping in anticipation._

 _"His Dragon is forming, Oto-san." Hanzo said in ways of explanation._

 _Tobikuma nodded, rushing to the bed and sitting down, pulling both Hanzo and Genji into his embrace. He whispered words of ease, petting Genji's head and placing kisses atop the sweaty locks. Tobikuma had no clue what to do, not having enough experience in dealing with a Dragon spirit forcefully forming out of a human's soul and devouring it. When he had asked Kimiko about her Dragons all those years ago, she had said that it felt like her entire body was being frozen, that her skin had turned a deathly blue and that she had even formed a layer of frost over her body._

 _Kimiko had explained that the Dragons would emerge in an element that would suite them and their host. It would be agonizing for not only was the human soul being ripped apart and devoured in order to become a Dragon soul, but the specific element was being burned into the make-up of the body, rewiring everything and making it something akin to a downgraded Dragon body. Sturdier, stronger, and able to tolerate the specific element to a degree. Yet that wasn't the last of it. The Dragon needed a spot to reside, for the soul needed some way to be attached to the body. In order for that to happen, the Dragon would claw its mark on the body, just like the spirit Dragons of old did to the first Shimada hosts._

 _"Genji, where is the pain most prominent?" Tobikuma whispered, leaning away slightly so he could look into his son's tear-filled eyes._

 _Genji hiccupped, taking quick, shallow breaths as he tried to stutter out a response. "B-back. On my back."_

 _Nodding, Tobikuma removed his arms from around his son and helped loosen Genji's yukata, folding it down to his son's waist and gently coaxing him to lay down on his stomach. Genji complied and instantly dug his hands into his pillow, clutching onto it for dear life as more pain ripped through him._

 _Genji's back was an angry red, blistering and swelling. Suddenly Genji arched his body and cried out, claw marks raking down his back and causing blood to well up. Hanzo and Tobikuma watched as those claw marks carved out a design, the head of a Dragon forming on the back of Genji's shoulder, its jaws split open in a fierce roar._

 _Hanzo grit his teeth and gripped his arm, rubbing at the tattoo decorating it. From just watching Genji, Hanzo was getting phantom pains of when his Dragons had started to form. The Dragons clawed the tattoo into the skin and sealed it through ink and soul somehow, rendering it permanent and tied to the soul. If Hanzo were to lose the limb holding his tattoo, then the Dragons would carve the tattoo somewhere else on his body and he would have to go through the entire process all over again. The Dragons wouldn't die if the tattoo was gone, their soul was linked to Hanzo's. They died when he died, just as their mother and her Dragons did._

 _The whimpers and sobbing from Genji ceased, the boy going limp as a numb feeling washed over his entire body. He felt like his skin was roasting off, like something was clawing its way out of his back. Genji's breath stuttered as another intense wave of pain washed over him. He bit his lip hard enough to draw blood, anything to keep himself from screaming again. His throat was already raw from the abuse and his pillow was ripped in places from how hard he was gripping it._

 _"Almost done, Genji. The body is nearly formed." Hanzo whispered, placing a comforting hand on Genji's arm. His Dragons were settled near Genji's head, nuzzling him and purring in amenity._

 _Genji nodded his head blindly, finding himself feeling slightly excited underneath all the pain. He was getting his Dragon, the serpent was going to be a part of Genji. Now he would be like Hanzo and their mother, an actual heir to the Shimada name with a Dragon to prove it. This beast would be closer to Genji than anyone, for it would be a part of Genji. He simply couldn't wait._

 _The claw marks streaked down Genji's back in twisting patterns, leaving a bloodied design in its wake. The Dragon on Genji's back coiled around the expanse of it, looking as if it was soaring out of a sea of flames. The blood only made it look more fierce and gruesome, the fire blazing with the warm liquid._

 _Suddenly everything stopped as the last licks of flames were carved into Genji's skin. Genji felt himself finally able to breathe properly, lungs no longer feeling like they'd collapse at any minute. Not a moment later, a sweet cooling sensation flooded down Genji's back. As this happened, Tobikuma watched as Genji's blood dripped down the tattoo and, instead of leaving red streaks, they instead changed colour and began painting the tattoo. It was like magic, watching the carved Dragon take on a black outline and set, soon being filled with beautiful colours. This was only the second time Tobikuma has seen this, but for Hanzo it was the first time. After all, when it was his Dragons being formed, he was too blinded by pain to make out anything other than blurry shapes._

 _Genji laid there, limp and oddly relaxed. His heart beat strongly in his chest and his mind felt strange and fuzzy. He could hear it, hear something that wasn't quite words, but he knew what it meant. Another warm and kind feeling seeped from his tattoo, flooding his entire system and making Genji purr. It was a strange feeling, Genji never having purred before._

 _A small shudder left him as a tingling feeling spread from his newly formed tattoo. Genji bit back a giggle at the ticklish feeling, glancing over his shoulder when his brother and father gasped. Lying coiled on his back was an extremely puny and transparent Dragon. It lifted its head, squeaking in confusion and blinking. Locking eyes with Genji, it suddenly chirped happily and Genji felt a swell of love and warmth spread from his chest, something he somehow knew was mirrored by the Dragon._

 _It stood up on wobbly, unsure legs, taking a few steps before it collapsed in a pile of noodle parts. It squeaked again, surprised at being buried under its own body. Hanzo and Tobikuma shared a chuckle at the sight, Hanzo's Dragons flying over to the spirit and nudging it on either side._

 _The green Dragon purred at the sight of its brothers, nuzzling each of them before standing up again and trying to reach Genji's face. It stepped on his shoulder, lost its footing, and then tumbled off his back and onto the side of the bed. It let out a small sound of distress, wriggling on its back and trying furiously to figure out this walking shtick._

 _Genji laughed at the sight, shifting his arm. He held out his palm to the Dragon. It sniffed the offered limb before purring even louder and nuzzling the hand. Though Genji couldn't feel the Dragon's scales or mane, he could feel the pressure it made against his hand._

 _"What shall you name it?" Tobikuma asked softly._

 _The boy and his serpent shared a look, both conversing without the use of words. His Dragon then nodded, bowing its head and coiling up close to Genji, still purring a mile a minute. Genji hummed, eyes never leaving the Dragon._

 _"I'm not going to name it."_

 _"What? Why not?" Hanzo asked, frowning._

 _Genji shrugged, "Okaa-san promised she'd help me name my Dragon when the time came."_

 _That was more than enough of an explanation. Tobikuma nodded his head, leaning down and placing a kiss to Genji's temple. "Get some sleep, we'll go and see her in the morning. I am sure she'd love to meet your new companion."_

 _After a quick swapping of good-night, Tobikuma left back to his room. Hanzo hesitated before he shoved Genji slightly, ignoring the half-glare he got in return._

 _"Looks like we're both going to have to train our Dragons now."_

 _This got a grin from Genji, "And learn how to fight with them. Do you remember how Okaa-san fought with Hoshiko and Ryuu? That could be us!"_

 _Hanzo snorted, crossing his arms over his chest. "Or me, since I have two Dragons."_

 _"Just because you have two doesn't make you better. I'm more of a ninja than you are, like she was!"_

 _"Well I'm better at the bow than you are, just like Okaa-san!"_

 _"But you can't use a sword like I can! And she summoned Ryuu and Hoshiko with swords!" Genji threw back, sticking his tongue out at Hanzo._

 _This earned him another shove from Hanzo, "She did it with a bow too! And it wasn't with a katana, it was with a tanto! So therefore I've matched Okaa-san more than you have."_

 _"Whatever," Genji scoffed, "It was still a blade! And I bet you my Dragon is going to be as strong as Ryuu or Hoshiko, maybe even stronger!"_

 _Snoring brought their attention to the green serpent that was still lying on its back, drooling and twitching in its sleep. Genji grimaced slightly, "Er… Hopefully."_

 _The brothers looked at each other before they burst out laughing, grinning widely. Hanzo sighed, patting Genji's shoulder before getting up from the bed._

 _"Good night, brother. Try not to lay on your back, it'll be sore for a few days." He said, making his way towards the door, his Dragons following._

 _Genji snorted, "I know that, stupid Anija. Night!"_

 _Hanzo hummed, closing the door behind him, his footsteps fading. Genji yawned, twisting his body slightly so he could easily look down at the small Dragon. Soon it'd grow bigger, maybe to the size of a cat. Right now it was the size of a squirrel and was more body than leg. He only hoped the thing evened out when it grew with him, for it looked extremely silly with its stubby legs and extremely long body. Chuckling fondly, Genji watched his Dragon for a while longer before he let sleep claim him. He couldn't wait to show his mother in the morning, he just knew she would've been proud of him if she was still here. Though maybe she was proud of him, wherever she was. Genji liked the thought of her, Ryuu, and Hoshiko smiling down at him and purring in pride, it was a warm feeling that made Genji dream of pleasant things._


	11. Chapter 11

Genji glared down at his phone, deciding not to respond to the message Asako sent him. She was asking Genji if he wanted to come play, also including a picture of her ample chest wrapped up in a white lacy bra. Before Genji would've jumped at the chance to take such garments off with his teeth, but currently he wasn't in the mood. He had a date with Zenyatta to get ready for, but the poor boy was currently having a mild dilemma.

The young Shimada pouted at his reflection, dragging his fingers through his hair and scowling at the sight of his roots. Already his hair was growing out and losing its luscious green colour. And Genji was tied between washing out the dye and returning it to its natural black colour, or dye it green again. It's been years since he first dyed his hair, the whole reason why he did it in the first place was to be spiteful to the Elders, though it was also to match his Dragon a bit.

" _Genji! Get out of the bathroom! You've been in there for twenty minutes!_ " Hanzo snarled, banging his fist on the door.

" _Use a different bathroom!_ " Genji snapped, " _I'm busy!_ "

Hanzo's fist connected with the door again, " _Busy with what?! What could possibly require you to hide away in the bathroom for almost half an hour?!_ "

Genji growled in frustration, stomping his feet like a little kid throwing a tantrum. " _My hair!_ "

There was silence before Hanzo made an incredulous sound. " _Your_ _ **hair**_? _That's why you're locked in the bathroom? Are you kidding me?!_ "

The young Shimada whined in the back of his throat, throwing open the door and staring at his brother with pleading eyes.

"My roots are showing! And I don't know if I should wash out the dye or dye it green again!" Genji huffed, gesturing to the dye-remover and hair dye lying on the countertop. "Usually I wouldn't care about it and would just dye it again. But what if Zenyatta thinks I look better with my natural hair colour? Or what if he actually likes my green hair and if I choose to wash out the colour, he stops liking me?"

Hanzo blinked slowly, his angry expression turning to one of frustrated amusement. He snorted, rubbing his temples and sighing bodily.

"So let me get this straight. You've been locked in the bathroom for 20- almost 30, minutes now. And the reason was because you were fretting over your appearance and if the monk would care or not?"

When it was put that way, sure it sounded completely stupid. But Genji couldn't help it, his Dragon seemed to think that Genji's appearance was extremely important. Whenever Genji asked why it felt the need to primp him up, the beast merely said something along the lines of "biological ornaments", whatever the fuck that meant. All Genji knew was that his Dragon was in a tizzy and, because of that, so was Genji.

Genji rubbed his face, groaning. "You don't understand, Hanzo. It's like I **need** to make a decision, and if it turns out to be the wrong one, my Dragon might literally eat me."

This seemed to startle Hanzo, his brows creasing. "What do you mean?"

Unable to find the proper words, Genji was left floundering for a moment, waving his hand around as he tried to think. "Well it's just… It feels like it's excited? But at the same time, it's growling at me and snapping at me whenever I try to focus on it too much. And it feels like it's threatening me and kind of biting my soul? It felt like when it first started forming and when it was ripping my human soul up, but there's no pain right now. I just… Feel the teeth sitting there. It's also pushing its emotions on to me and demanding I look nice for my date with Zen tonight. But I already planned on looking nice! So I have no clue what its deal is. And what the heck does 'biological ornament' mean?"

Hanzo's lips quickly quirked upwards and he snorted in an undignified manner. Smacking a hand to his forehead, Hanzo laughed loudly as he pushed his bangs from his face. He muttered something along the lines of "I can't believe this" and shook his head. Scowling at his elder brother, Genji crossed his arms over his chest in annoyance. Hanzo merely smiled at him, reflecting Genji with his arms over his chest.

"Ok," Hanzo said, "I'll help you decide. Wash out the dye, it'll throw your Omnic for a loop. And trust me, if he doesn't run from you when you have green hair, he won't run away when you have black."

That seemed to comfort Genji a bit, though his Dragon still seemed unsatisfied. Sighing, Genji carded his fingers through his hair once more. He then gestured to the bottle of dye-remover sitting on the counter.

"Then can you help me wash it out? I don't think my Dragon will let me do it myself."

Hanzo snorted, "Your spirit is such a troublesome thing." But he moved into the bathroom anyways, rolling up the sleeves of his yukata and tying them back. He pressed a hand to Genji's head, forcing him to hover over the sink as he got the man's hair wet. Once that was done, he began lathering the shampoo into Genji's hair.

It took a couple more instances of rinse and repeat before the colour was fully washed down the drain and Genji was left with his natural black hair. The moment it was done Hanzo kicked Genji out of the bathroom, though he was kind enough to throw a towel in his little brother's face before slamming the door closed.

So, as he dried his hair, Genji made the trek back to his bedroom to figure out the outfit he'd wear. For their date, Genji was going to take Zenyatta to the movies and then after they'd be going to the park for a late night stroll. It was going to be the peak of romance, Genji would be sure of it. And he would be lying if he said he wasn't looking forward to sneaking a few kisses during the movie. Though that was only if Zenyatta would let him, Genji didn't want to be a pushy boyfriend. Being forceful is such a trashy and lowlife thing to do, something Genji refused to ever stoop to.

Genji rubbed his chin, frowning. He had no clue what to wear, right now all of his clothes looked like shit in his eyes! And it was once again thanks to his damned Dragon.

"Can't you just let me pick?!" He snapped aloud, glaring at the clothes his Dragon once again deemed too boring. "You've never had a problem with my choices before!"

' **That was because those other flings weren't worth my time.** '

Genji snorted, "Wasn't worth your time? Aren't you a little liar! I know for a fact that you picked some of those people we perused! Remember that little tea-shop we visited a few months ago? You wanted to go after that cute little worker! And how about the month before that? The Omnic we met in the arcade? You thought she was interesting!"

' **In the past, Sparrow. Not important now.** '

"How is it not important?! You're acting completely out of character, you damned snake! This is the first time you've had a complaint on my clothing choice!" Genji snapped, clutching the shirt in his grip tightly.

A soft knock at his room door caused Genji to snap out of his conversation, the young Shimada calling for the guest to enter. Tobikuma slowly slid open Genji's door, a brow raised.

"I could hear you yelling from my room. Is something the matter…?" He trailed off, taking in Genji's black hair and the state of his room. Blinking slowly, the elder Shimada took it in stride and pretended that he couldn't see the disastrous state of Genji's closet.

Genji groaned, rubbing his face. "It's my stupid Dragon! First it was angry with my roots showing, then it was pissy that I planned to wash the dye out. I had to have Hanzo do it for me because I'm pretty sure the thing would've made me bite my own hands off. And then here I am trying to pick out clothes, but the damn thing hates my choices!"

Tobikuma nodded slowly, digesting the information. "I see. And this is the first time it has acted out in such a way?"

"Yeah! And I have no clue why. I mean the only difference is that Zenyatta is a monk? But I know that's not why my Dragon's freaking out."

Ok, his son was taking one of the monks out on a date, even when Tobikuma warned Genji to not cause trouble. Tobikuma knew how… Finicky his son could get when it came to partners. He could only pray for Genji and whatever it is he was seeking with the Omnic. He knew Zenyatta was a pretty good influence on Genji, so he wasn't **too** worried. But with the way his son was pulling at his hair in frustration, the Shimada head was mildly worried for his son's sanity.

"Biological ornament, Oto-san." Hanzo hummed as he walked by the room, "That's his Dragons problem."

Tobikuma breathed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Oh my god…"

Genji's confusion was only amplified with his father's reaction. "What?! What does that even mean? Does he want me to like… Put ornaments on my body? Like flowers? Something biologically made?"

His confusion wasn't resolved, even when Tobikuma pat his son's back sympathetically. Sighing again, Tobikuma began digging through Genji's closet.

"Little Sparrow, I knew you were dense, but this is taking it to a whole new level. Did you learn nothing in school?"

Pouting, Genji crossed his arms over his chest. "Hey, I take offense to that. Of course I learned stuff!"

Tobikuma ignored his response, instead pulling out a sage green button down and a dark grey sweater, handing them to Genji. He then pulled out a pair of well-worn jeans, adding them to the pile in Genji's hands.

"Here, wear these. And if your Dragon complains, tell them I'll give you some flashy things to wear. That should satisfy it."

Genji didn't really need to repeat it, his Dragon heard it. Though despite Tobikuma's words, it still grumbled unhappily. When his father left the room, Genji got dressed. Tobikuma returned just as Genji was fastening a belt around his hips and smoothing out the wrinkles in his sweater.

Tobikuma took Genji's right hand, placing a beautiful silver watch on it and locking it to his wrist. Genji's eyes widened, instantly recognizing the ornament.

"Woah wait, Oto-san! This is the watch Okaa-san gave you on your anniversary! I can't take this!" Genji sputtered.

Tobikuma raised a brow, "Who said anything about giving it to you? I'm letting you borrow it for tonight."

That made sense, Genji mused. And, surprisingly, his Dragon calmed considerably now that Genji looked pretty appealing and not "repulsive", as they put it. Tobikuma, not done helping his son primp for his oh-so-important date, even offered Genji some of his fancy cologne. Genji even let his father style his hair, the elder Shimada simply brushing it back and using gel to keep it in place.

Armed with a coat, money for the movie tickets, and looking like something out of a wet dream, Genji strolled to the guest quarters to pick up Zenyatta. Hibiscus was waiting outside the quarters, leaning casually against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest. She gave Genji a quick once-over, humming in approval.

"Don't you look darling? Zen's going to have a hard time keeping his hands off you." She paused, placing a hand to her faceplate and snickering. "Though that might apply to you too."

She was dressed up just as nicely, the Omnic planning to ditch Genji and Zenyatta again in order to go on a date with Juliet. This time they planned to meet by the park at exactly 12, that way they could all make their way back to the complex together. It was a good plan, one they talked out thoroughly the day before.

For her date, Hibiscus was dressed in a cute tank top and shorts, thigh-high socks pulled up her metal legs. To go along with her outfit were a pair of black boots and a simple coat. She had bought the outfit yesterday, having gone shopping with Zenyatta while Genji was busy with his daily training. Zenyatta had teasingly kept his purchases a secret, telling Genji that he'd show Genji what he bought when the time came. Genji had sulked and, if he was being his honest, his mind took a nosedive straight into the gutter.

"I'll go get him, stay right here!" She said in a sing-song voice, disappearing into the guest quarters. It only took a few minutes before she came back out with Zenyatta in tow.

Genji was blown away with how amazing Zenyatta looked. His mala rested around his neck in a dormant state, like usual. Zenyatta was dressed in a white blouse that was designed to hang low in the back, revealing the smooth expansion of his shoulder plates and the soft wires expertly woven into his frame. The white fabric framed the tattoo that sat on the upper parts of Zenyatta's back. The tattoo was of three lotuses, the black ink coloured by the monk's carbon, albeit with a faint pink tint. Along with the blouse he wore a short, loose black skirt that cut off-mid thigh, black tights on underneath.

Throat suddenly feeling dry, Genji swallowed a couple times before he attempted to find some words to describe the sight before him. "You look… Amazing." Genji breathed.

Zenyatta chuckled, moving closer to Genji and tangling their fingers together. "Thank you, Genji. And you yourself look just as breath-taking. I especially like you hair, I've never seen you with your natural hair colour. It suits you just as well as your green hair."

The spirit in Genji preened, growling in a pleased manner at being complimented. Genji fought the urge to roll his eyes and tell the beast it did nothing but kick up a fuss. Hanzo and his dad helped the most, Genji would have to thank them after this.

When they exited the compound, Hibiscus chattering about how Mondatta had sat the both of them down and gave them a long spiel on safety and to not go with strangers and other such things, the Omnic suddenly stopped and squealed, seeing Juliet waiting patiently for her. Hibiscus instantly charged for the female, jumping up and wrapping her arms around Juliet's neck. She nuzzled into her cheek while Juliet easily held her up by the waist.

"Juliet, honey, I missed you!"

"Saw me this morning…" Juliet hummed, placing a small kiss to Hibiscus' forehead.

Hibiscus hummed, returning the gesture. "Yes, but who cares for technicalities? I missed you and that's all that matters."

While Hibiscus and Juliet had their romantic moment, Genji and Zenyatta bid them farewell. They only received an absentminded wave, but that was enough for them. As they walked towards the movie theatre, Genji couldn't help but peek at Zenyatta every now and again. The Omnic smelt divine, no doubt using the strawberry scented oils as his own form of perfume. And his outfit was beyond adorable and fit Zenyatta in all the right ways.

Genji felt excitement bubble up in his chest, threatening to spill over. He bent his head down, kissing the side of Zenyatta's face and quickly gaining his attention. Zenyatta turned slightly to regard Genji, though he had his head tilted in a smile.

"What?" He asked, amusement lacing his tone.

Grinning, Genji shrugged a shoulder. "Nothing. Just felt like giving you a kiss."

Zenyatta's voice box produced a fond chuckle, a metal hand lifting and resting on Genji's cheek. "If you plan to kiss me, I would appreciate it if you did it properly."

With that said, Zenyatta leaned in and placed his mouth seam to Genji's lips. A tingling feeling spread from the contact and Genji eagerly kissed back. He slid his hands around Zenyatta's back and pulled the monk closer, putting more pressure into the way his lips danced across the faceplate.

Eventually Zenyatta hummed, reluctantly pulling his head away. He giggled when Genji moved forward in order to chase after his kisses. Placing a hand to Genji's chest, Zenyatta tilted his head.

"I'm afraid if we keep this up, we'll miss the movie."

"That's ok," Genji mumbled, nuzzling the crook of Zenyatta's neck and shoulder. "We can catch the next showing."

Chuckling in amusement, Zenyatta coaxed Genji to look at him before placing a fleeting, apologetic kiss to his lips. "I promise we'll have more time to kiss later. For now, would you please lead us to the theatre?"

Genji pouted at being denied more kisses, but sighed in acceptance. He grinned, taking Zenyatta's hand and leading the Omnic once again. "Alright, but I'll hold you to that!"

/

The movie lasted around an hour and forty minutes, but if someone asked Genji what the movie was about, he couldn't answer. He got distracted partway through by Zenyatta's reactions to the plot. Genji eventually stopped paying attention to the movie altogether and just ended up staring at Zenyatta throughout the whole thing. For a being that couldn't change their face, Zenyatta was extremely expressive.

During shocking or surprising parts, Zenyatta would gasp or jump. And when the truly emotional parts came on screen, he would grip Genji's hand tighter and sigh with his shoulders hunched. Genji had never seen anything more beautiful or breath-taking than Zenyatta truly enjoying himself. Even his Dragon was content with just watching Zenyatta express himself, it was captivating.

Because Genji didn't wish to disturb Zenyatta's enjoyment of the movie, he didn't even make a move to kiss the other. It was something Genji had never done before. Usually he'd get bored with the movie and try to convince the other party to keep him entertained in another fashion, one they usually went along with. But with Zenyatta it was different, though he wasn't complaining. He couldn't even find it in himself to be disappointed, not when he walked away with such sweet memories.

"How'd you like the movie?" Genji asked.

The two were making their way to the park, the electric lanterns and lamps turning on as the day drew to a close. Already the sun was beginning to set and night was taking over. The once bustling streets of Hanamura gave way to sparse amounts of people still lingering outside. Genji paid them no mind, his entire focus on his date and how the lights reflected off his frame, giving him a warm glow.

Humming, Zenyatta tilted his head in contemplation. "It was very interesting, I enjoyed it quite a bit! How about you, Genji?"

"Hm? Oh! Well I liked it too!" Genji grinned, hoping Zenyatta couldn't see through his lie.

"I'm glad to hear that," Zenyatta chuckled, "What was your favourite part?"

Licking his lips and glancing away, Genji wracked his brain for an answer. "Uhh…? All of them? I mean, I had so many I can't decide!"

"Oh really? Well I would have to say my most favourite part would be when the female protagonist broke in to save her love interest on a Pegasus. It was simply marvellous."

Genji was quick to jump on that train of thought. "Oh yeah! It was pretty cool! Technology is extremely great when it comes to movie making!"

Stopping in his walking, Zenyatta stared at Genji. The ninja suddenly felt the extreme amounts of mirth radiating off the Omnic. It was at that moment that he realized he had been tricked.

"Genji, there was no Pegasus in the movie. Or anything fantasy related, for that matter."

Genji groaned and rubbed his face while Zenyatta full-out laughed. Waving his hand, Zenyatta attempted to speak over his giggles. "I-I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist! I noticed you stopped watching the movie, though my logs don't have enough information to pinpoint the exact time you stopped watching."

Groaning louder, Genji hid his hands in his face. "You knew? Why didn't you say anything? Oh gosh, that's so embarrassing!"

Zenyatta hummed, taking Genji's hands and lowering them from his face. He pressed his faceplate to the knuckles, leaving small, slightly numbing kisses to the appendages.

"I don't find it embarrassing. In fact, I'm feeling a little smug at being able to take your attention from the movie." A small amount of steam escaped Zenyatta in his self-conscious state. "Though it is somewhat egotistical of me."

Genji was quick to reassure Zenyatta that it was perfectly fine for him to feel that way. "No no no, you're totally ok! I'm the same way! I get really pleased when I manage to steal your attention! If you think you're egotistical, then I'm on a lot worse! I swear, I'm not at all bothered by it!"

A silence fell between them, though one that wasn't exactly uncomfortable. Zenyatta was the first to break it, his shoulders hunched shyly. "It would seem we're both quite infatuated with each other."

"Seems like." Genji snickered, wrapping his arms around Zenyatta's waist and pulling him closer.

Chuckling fondly, Zenyatta let his arms settle loosely around Genji's neck. He tilted his head and hummed in agreement before leaning forward and initiating another kiss. Genji grinned into the action and returned it, slotting his lips against Zenyatta's faceplate. The tingling kisses Zenyatta gave him in turn made Genji's lips pleasantly numb. He found himself wanting more, easily getting intoxicated from their kissing.

Without much persuading, Genji's lips began leaving a trail down Zenyatta's face and to his nick. He scraped his teeth lightly over the wires and small sensors there, smirking at the shudder that wracked Zenyatta's frame. The monk sighed softly when Genji's tongue came out to trace a path up the column of his neck.

There were many things Genji hated, but at this particular moment, his ringing phone was something he hated with every fibre of his being. Pulling away from Zenyatta's neck with a growl, Genji dug into his phone and pulled the ringing device out. He scowled darkly at the name that flashed on the screen. As much as he wanted to ignore the call, there wasn't a point anymore, the mood was ruined.

While Zenyatta tried to force his fans to cool down, Genji answered Jiro's call.

"What?" He snapped, in no particular mood to deal with the other.

" _Ooh why are you so pissy? Did I interrupt something?_ "

Genji scowled, "Yeah, you did."

" _Well it must not be with Asako, 'cause she just messaged me asking why you haven't returned her texts. Says she asked Naoki, but he wouldn't tell her anything_!"

For some reason just hearing Jiro's voice was pissing Genji off more than usual. Maybe it had something to do with how his Dragon was snarling in fury. It wasn't over the idea of being interrupted, no, it was because this was technically Jiro's fault. The whole bet was because of Jiro. If it wasn't for Jiro and his stupid goading, Genji wouldn't be in this situation where he was taking advantage of Zenyatta.

' _But it's our fault too, we agreed to it._ ' Genji thought bitterly. It was enough for his Dragon to recoil in shame.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Genji sighed loudly. "Listen Jiro, I really don't care right now. I'm on an extremely important date, so don't call me."

There was a pause before Jiro began cackling madly. Genji instantly knew he said the wrong thing. " _So you're already on a date with the Omnic?! You do move fast! I'm starting to think I'll lose this bet!_ "

Genji heard enough, hanging up on Jiro and shoving his phone in his pocket. He was so busy fuming that he didn't notice Zenyatta moving closer until a hand was placed on his shoulder. Genji jumped, staring at Zenyatta with wide eyes.

"Genji?" His tone was soft, imploring. "Are you alright? The phone call just now, it seemed to cause your soul such great turmoil. It was quite a change from the earlier peace you had been feeling."

Genji sucked in a quick breath, thanking every God listening that Zenyatta had not overheard the conversation. But Zenyatta had been able to sense his soul's distress. And he was quite accurate, his Dragon was wallowing in shame and self-deprecating over its desire to win any challenge.

Shaking his head, Genji pushed his conversation with Jiro to the back of his mind. He forced a smile, one that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's just… Continue our date? Sorry it got interrupted."

Zenyatta placed a hand to Genji's cheek in a comforting manner. "Do not apologize for something you had no control over. I don't blame you for anything." He leaned in, resting his forehead against Genji's. "And I'm afraid we don't have the time to continue our walk. My internal clock says that it is approaching 11:30, and it will take us quite the walk to return to the Shimada complex."

Genji groaned, wrapping his arms around Zenyatta and burying his head in the Omnic's shoulder. "Damn it. My call ruined our date! And it was going so well…"

Patting his head, Zenyatta chuckled in amusement. "I wouldn't say it's ruined. I enjoyed my time with you, the phone call couldn't put a damper on everything."

The two pulled away, but not by far. Zenyatta laced their hands together and began leading Genji towards the compound, having memorized the path from the compound to the movie and park. As they walked, Genji eventually began swinging their joined hands. Simply being in Zenyatta's presence helped ease Genji's anger and self-loathing. Even his Dragon was starting to find peace.

When they made it back to the compound, they spent their time sharing a few kisses and some cuddling. Eventually Hibiscus and Juliet arrived, though Hibiscus was extremely reluctant to say goodbye to Juliet.

"Please come in and sleep with me?" Hibiscus pleaded, hands clasped tightly in front of her.

"Can't," Juliet kissed her forehead. "Need to pack for the next speech."

Hibiscus huffed, but relented, nuzzling Juliet's cheek fiercely. "Fine, but I'll be taking a rain check! You are so sharing my hotel room."

Chuckling, Juliet returned the hug and hummed in confirmation. "Can't wait."

Making their way back into the compound once Hibiscus and Juliet said their goodbyes, Genji mulled over the next event's date. It would take an entire day to drive out of Hanamura to get to the next town where the speech would be held. Then the day after they arrive, they'd have a speech. Two days after they'd have another in a different area of the town. And then they had one more day to drive back. Essentially they'd be gone for an entire week and, as much as Genji wished it, he couldn't go.

That week was his mother and father's anniversary. Ever since she died, Genji and Hanzo had spent it with their father. It wasn't tradition, they just knew in their guts that it was the right thing to do. So Genji couldn't go with Zenyatta, which he had to tell the monk before he forgot.

"Hey, Zen? Can I talk to you for a moment? It's about the next event."

Zenyatta paused just outside the doors leading into the guest quarters. He tilted his head to the side curiously. "Of course, but would you like to do it inside? I think it would be more comfortable if we were sitting."

Taking any chance he could to spend more time with Zenyatta, Genji nodded. When he settled down in the soft cushions, Genji stretched his legs out and sighed.

"Will we be doing meditation tonight?"

"… No, probably not tonight. It's late and I'm sure you need your sleep." Zenyatta settled across from Genji, gesturing to the ninja. "Now, what is it you wished to talk about?"

Grimacing slightly, Genji glanced down and rubbed the back of his head. "Well… I won't be able to go with you guys for that week. My parent's anniversary is coming up and I usually spend the day with my father."

Zenyatta nodded his head slowly, "I understand. That's a very important date, I wouldn't want you to miss it."

Genji felt a little relieved that Zenyatta wasn't disappointed. With that resolved, Genji made a move to stand up.

"Well, I'd better get back to my room now. As you said, it is pretty late and we both need to sleep."

"Oh, wait!" Zenyatta jumped, holding his hands out to stop Genji from moving further.

Genji froze, slowly sitting back down with a raised eyebrow. "Yes?"

Seeming embarrassed at his outburst, Zenyatta fiddled with his hands, keeping his focus on them. "Oh, well… I was just wondering if you would… Like to sleep here tonight?"

Brown eyes widened and Genji took a moment to process the question. Swallowing, Genji hoped his blush wasn't as apparent as it felt. "S-sure. But I don't have pj's with me."

"That's f-fine." Zenyatta mumbled, equally embarrassed. "I have a pair of sweats you can borrow. And a t-shirt if you want one as well."

"Sweats are fine," Genji nodded and watched as Zenyatta stood up and moved to the dresser he had put all his clothes in.

His movements were a bit stiff, probably from nerves. It was interesting to see the usually graceful monk moving in such a stilted way. When Genji was handed the grey sweats, Zenyatta was kind enough to step out of the room so Genji could change. Zenyatta had taken his own pair of clothes to change in one of the bathrooms down the hall.

When he came back, Zenyatta took a moment to stare at Genji and admire his form. Genji was beautiful in every sense of the word, his body a work of art earned through hard work and dedication. While Zenyatta admired Genji's body, the young Shimada was doing the exact same thing. Zenyatta was wearing comfortable shorts and a tank top, practically the definition of casual.

He sent Genji a smile when he was done observing, moving to turn off the light in the room. When they were shrouded in darkness, Genji planned to take a moment to let his eyes adjust. However when a hand touched his, he couldn't help but jump.

"It's just me," Zenyatta giggled, taking Genji's hand.

He led them to the bed, the Omnic able to see in the dark. Genji's eyes began to adjust when they were settled under the blanket. They were facing each other, though they had a rather awkward amount of space between them. Taking a deep breath and just going for it, Genji rested his hand on Zenyatta's hip.

"This fine?" He asked, voice barely above a whisper.

Zenyatta nodded, his fans picking up speed as Genji scooted closer.

"And… This?" He glanced down, referring to the lack of space between them.

Once again Zenyatta nodded, though it was him that made the next move. He placed a hand to Genji's cheek, leaning in so their faces were barely brushing.

"Is this ok, Genji?" He asked, voice-box producing a breathless kind of sound.

Genji chuckled, "Always."

And then the two were kissing, Genji's mouth sliding over Zenyatta's faceplate and peppering sweet kisses wherever he could reach. Zenyatta let out the occasional sigh, leaning into the kisses and returning his own. When Genji propped himself up to lean over the Omnic, Zenyatta tangled his fingers through Genji's hair.

The kissing picked up heat the longer it went on, Genji tracing Zenyatta's mouth seam with his tongue. He moved down to Zenyatta's jaw, scraping his teeth gently and licking his way down the Omnic's neck. Zenyatta gasped, arching slightly when Genji's hand began moving from his waist and up his shit. His fingertips danced over the dips and grooves of Zenyatta's frame, ghosting over the hidden wires there.

Zenyatta's voice-box popped as he stuttered to make coherent words, shuddering in Genji's hands. "W-wait, Genji please."

Genji listened instantly, retracting his hand from Zenyatta's shirt and letting it rest on his hip once again. Still, Genji kept placing soft kisses to Zenyatta's neck.

"What's wrong?" He hummed.

There was silence as Zenyatta attempted to gather his thoughts, his hands falling to Genji's shoulders. "I- well how do I say this… You see. Oh dear, I just-!"

"Shhh," Genji whispered, kissing Zenyatta's forehead. "Take your time."

Nodding his head, Zenyatta cleared his voice-box before continuing. "You see, it has been some time since I've been… Intimate with another. And I've only ever been with one person, so I do not have enough experience in that matter to have a lot of confidence. Ah, that's not to say that I don't trust you, I do! Truly! But I'm just… Not ready to be with you like that, Genji. I hope you understand…"

Though Genji was a little disappointed, he didn't linger on it too much. Instead he nodded, kissing Zenyatta's forehead once again before he settled down next to the other.

"That's ok, we don't have to do anything. We can just sleep. And in the future if you feel comfortable enough, we can try it. But if not, then that's ok too." He smiled warmly, squeezing Zenyatta's hip comfortably.

Letting out a relieved sigh, Zenyatta placed a small kiss to Genji's lips. "Thank you, Genji."

He then snuggled closer, tangling their legs together. Genji was content to fall asleep like this, it was nice and comfortable. Even his Dragon felt satisfied enough to purr, something Genji may or may not have mirrored. Sighing peacefully, Genji closed his eyes and let himself drift off to sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: I put more information on the A/N in AO3 (mainly because I like the layout more than ff...)

* * *

When Genji woke up that morning, an unbearable grin found its way onto his face. He stared at Zenyatta's sleeping form, the lights on his forehead noticeably dim and his body limp. They were pressed impossibly close to each other, Genji's arms wrapped around Zenyatta's waist.

Humming warmly, Genji lifted a hand and traced the lines of Zenyatta's face, following the dips and grooves down his neck and back up. After a while of Genji's absentminded tracing, Zenyatta began to stir. It was an interesting thing to see an Omnic pull itself out of sleep mode.

First Zenyatta's body made a soft whirring sound as his systems started to reboot. Then were the lights on Zenyatta's forehead, they blinked slowly before glowing brighter. Zenyatta shifted slightly, an artificial sigh leaving him as he finally woke up.

Zenyatta stared at Genji, tilting his head as he observed the other. Grinning, Genji leaned up to place a kiss on the Omnic's face.

"Morning," He hummed, "Sleep well?"

"… Yes, I did. How about you?" Zenyatta asked. Though Genji had no doubt Zenyatta's inquire was genuine, his tone sounded… Odd. It made Genji slightly confused, for it almost sounded… Guarded?

"Yeah, slept pretty amazingly, actually." Genji hoped his grin wasn't notably forced. He couldn't help it, Zenyatta's aloof demeanour was, in a way, scaring Genji. Never one to handle awkward moments well, Genji quickly rushed to ask about the Omnic's mood. "Is everything ok? I didn't hit you in my sleep did I? If I did then I'm seriously sorry for it! Hanzo's told me before that my sleeping habits are horrible, but I never listened!"

This seemed to snap Zenyatta out of his funk. Chuckling softly, he patted Genji's cheek reassuringly. "No, you're fine, there's nothing wrong. I was just remembering what you said last night and, well, my mind ended up focusing solely on that. I was trying to make sense of it."

Genji tried to think back on what he said last night, but came up with nothing that would warrant Zenyatta becoming distant in his thinking. "Um… Mind telling me what it was that I said?" ' _Hopefully nothing offensive'_ , Genji prayed silently.

Zenyatta hummed, "Well it's logical you wouldn't remember, you weren't exactly awake."

"… Eh?" Genji was thoroughly confused. "You mean I spoke when I was asleep?"

"Yes, you sleep talk. Has no one told you this before?" Zenyatta questioned.

Genji frowned as he wracked his brain for all the instances he's had someone sleep over. Never had they mentioned Genji sleep talking, but then again, he rarely did let someone stay the night. Genji didn't let any of his lovers sleep in his room and very rarely did he sleep with them in their house or in a hotel. If anything, once Genji was satisfied he usually left. So it wasn't surprising that no one had told him he talked in his sleep, though wouldn't his family say something about it?

Shaking his head, Genji focused on the matter at hand. Just what had he said to Zenyatta? His Dragon was stuck with the sudden fear that they had said something revealing. Something like the existence of the Shimada Dragon spirits; or worse, the whole thing about the bet. It was funny how Genji's Dragon thought that Zenyatta finding out about the bet was worse than the Omnic finding out about its existence.

"Um… What did I talk about?"

Humming again, Zenyatta waved a hand as he spoke. "Oh a little of this and a little of that. What caught my attention was when you started talking about a Dragon cheating at a game of cards. You never specified the type of card game you were playing, just that the Dragon was green and that it was cheating."

It was hard to think over the loud, internal screaming Genji was doing. While his mind was having a meltdown, Genji continued to smile and hoped he wasn't sweating.

"Oh? Well that must've been one crazy dream I was having!" He laughed, "Almost makes me wish I could remember it!"

Zenyatta shared his laugh, the Omnic tilting his head and smiling. "I'm sure it would've been an interesting tale to tell. I can't say I've ever had a dream that sounds as wild as that."

This caught Genji's interest very easily. "You dream?" Realizing how that might sound, Genji quickly tried to backtrack. "I mean, not that I don't think Omnics can dream, I just never really asked. It isn't that I'm not interested, I just-."

Holding up a hand, Zenyatta stopped Genji in his rambling. "I understand, don't worry. It's a topic that usually never arises in normal conversation, so I can comprehend where you're coming from."

Genji nodded his head before he pursed his lips in thought. Genji pulled on Zenyatta's waist and dragged the Omnic closer to his side.

"So… What do you dream about?"

Zenyatta rolled onto his back, looking up at the ceiling as he spoke, tone soft. "Well, I dream of a lot of things. Sometimes they involve me, other times they are about events I've never even thought about. Each dream I file away in my memory bank so I won't ever forget them. Even the unpleasant ones are placed in a specific file so I can analyse then when I am awake."

Genji absorbed this information with wide eyes. "Woah, so you remember every dream you've ever had?"

At Zenyatta's nod, Genji grinned and nudged his boyfriend. "Well? Can I hear one? Tell me your favourite dream! Please?"

Chuckling at Genji's enthusiasm, Zenyatta hummed before he accessed his dream data. "Alright." It didn't take long to open up the file with the highest access logs. Out of all the dreams, this was the one Zenyatta visited the most.

"A dream I frequently think about was one where I was a butterfly. It started out simple enough, I was a small blue butterfly fluttering about a wide meadow. Yet as I moved around, I noticed that there were no other butterflies. In an endless field, I was the only one of my kind. It was odd, I could not figure out why that was."

Zenyatta began moving his hands as he described his dream, getting lost in the story. "I remember flying around, trying to find an answer to my question of why I was alone. But no matter what direction I flew in, the field kept going, never reaching a point where it stopped. And just as I was starting to panic, something caught my eye. It was a single flower, blooming purple in a pile of white. As if in a trance, I flew towards the flower. Landing on its petal, I felt compelled to drink the nectar inside. I have never tasted something before, but the word " _sweet_ " came to mind when I drank my fill."

Genji was enraptured, eyes wide as he pictured the field of Zenyatta's dream. It was interesting and the way Zenyatta spoke made it all the more captivating.

"Then what happened?" He asked, unintentionally whispering.

Zenyatta settled his hands on the arm around his waist, "Well, after I drank the nectar, I remember backing away. I of course thanked the flower for its gift, because I could tell that this was no ordinary nectar. I could almost sense something… Spiritual about it. Then suddenly, the field fell away to an empty, black void. It was only me and the flower left. Yet the next thing I knew, I was no longer a butterfly, but I was myself. And the flower resting before me was glowing. Then something happened, it was so fast I had been under the impression it was a malfunction in my optic sensors. But alas, that was not the case.

"Where the flower used to be was an Omnic, but they were not standing. They were sitting in the air, floating as if weightless, hands folded in their lap. This Omnic, they were nothing like I've ever seen. They were sharp angles with writing all over their golden frame. They had no distinct facial features, it was just a blank faceplate with no eye-slits or dips for the appearance of cheekbones. It was just… Blank, but not. For there were intricate blue markings decorating the Omnic's face. However, these markings had no meaning I could think of. But the markings on their body contained words I could process, however it wasn't in any human language, it was all in Omnic."

Genji was in awe at the description. It wasn't hard to picture the Omnic with the way Zenyatta described them. But if Genji was being honest, it was like Zenyatta was describing a spiritual experience. After all, the Omnic described sounded so ethereal, Genji couldn't explain how, it was just a gut feeling. And that feeling was only furthered when Zenyatta continued speaking.

"The Omnic lifted its hands and I watched as nine orbs appeared, each one a dull grey and looking out of place next to the glowing figure. They floated around the Omnic and, to my amazement, ten golden arms formed, spreading out from the Omnic's back. They were transparent and seemed to sing with a spiritual essence, I could not find any words to describe them. Then the Omnic bowed their head and brought their actual hands in front of them. I watched as they pressed their hands together and then the ten glowing arms all reached up. The orbs rested in the Omnic's hands and what happened next was absolutely stunning. I still find myself trapped in reverence whenever I recall the memory."

Zenyatta took a moment to let what he said sink in, glancing at Genji before looking back up at the ceiling. He continued with his story, gradually reaching the end. "Like magic, colour suddenly flooded into the orbs. They turned golden, then gained the blue markings of the Omnic. And one by one they took on their own glow, now shining just as bright as the hands holding them. And then a voice spoke, but it was not at all like I am speaking now. This was in my mind, an internal voice that did not belong to me. As it spoke, the orbs changed colour. Four of the orbs on one side turned a sickly purple, the other half stayed a pure golden colour."

"What did the voice say?" Genji couldn't help interrupting, he was just so wrapped up in this story. And to think, this was all a dream Zenyatta had! It sounded so mystical, so real!

Not seeming to mind Genji's interruption, Zenyatta continued on. "The voice said ' ** _Harmony or Discord, it is up to you to decide which orb you provide_** '. Before I could ponder what that meant, one of the hands moved. The single orb that wasn't glowing a purple or gold was taken and placed into the Omnic's real hands. It then held it close towards its core and suddenly the orb glowed blue. I then watched as the Omnic pushed the orb towards me and, like magic, it began to float. It crossed the distance in only a matter of seconds and when I was able to take a hold of it, I took the time to study it. But when I looked back up towards the Omnic with the intention to ask what they meant, the Omnic was gone. What stood in their place was that little purple flower. Then my dream fell away and I awoke."

Genji whistled, that being the only thing he could think of to do. Running his hand through his hair, Genji processed the dream. "So like, that Omnic was holding your mala, right? And it was talking about your Harmony Orb and Discord Orb? That's what it meant about picking which orb to give."

Zenyatta chuckled, "My tale does not end there, Genji."

"It doesn't?! There's more?!"

"Mmhmm, but this time it isn't a dream. When I awoke, I ran maintenance on my systems, as I always do when I exit sleep mode. I suddenly found a file in my systems that was not there before. I had not created it myself, but there it was. When I looked into the file, I realized it was blueprints on how to build something, but these blueprints were strange. I cannot describe to you how they differed from any other blueprint, for the files are no longer in my systems. They deleted themselves once I built what they showed."

Zenyatta took a deep, unneeded breath. "They were how to build my mala. As if possessed, I sought out the materials needed to create the orbs from my dream. At the time, we had been living in the monastery for a few months. We had ordered a large shipment of materials in case any of our Omnic brethren needed repairs, so I did not have to go far for the materials. Once I had carved and wielded nine of the orbs, I was suddenly filled with the urge to hold them to my core. But alas, I could not access my core by myself. I would need someone to open up my chassis in order to reach my core."

"So what'd you do?"

Zenyatta turned his head to look at Genji, "I told Mondatta. Of course, I may have been a little… Straightforward with my request. He was quite alarmed when I asked him to open up my chassis."

Genji snickered at that, a lopsided grin forming on his face. "So when you got your chassis open and held the orbs to your core, I'm guessing they glowed and suddenly started floating?"

"Quite," Zenyatta chuckled, "Mondatta was thoroughly confused and panicked when it happened. I then had to explain to him my dream, but when I tried to find the files for my orbs, I discovered them to be wiped from my data. Mondatta had been convinced that my orbs were a gift from the Iris itself and that the Omnic in my dream had been a manifestation of the Iris."

Ok, now that was some awesome shit. Genji propped himself up on his elbow, staring down at Zenyatta. "Woah hold up, so basically you met God?! Like, you had a dream and then you meet some glowing figure, and then the next day you get mystic powers where you can heal people or cause their soul to be full of disharmony? That's fucking wicked!" Genji exclaimed, glancing at the mala resting along the wall near the bed. "Well now all of my dreams seem silly in comparison. I've never met a God in my dreams." ' _Just a very useless Dragon_ ', He thought bitterly. Said Dragon growled but that was the only reaction he got.

Zenyatta quickly turned so he could cup Genji's cheeks. "Please do not say that, Genji. No dream is better than the other and, even if one finds their dreams to be silly, that doesn't make it a bad thing."

Genji blinked in surprise at the stern tone directed towards him. Unable to help himself, Genji grinned and snorted, placing his hands over Zenyatta's. "Yeah, I got it. I won't talk bad about my dreams then."

Satisfied, Zenyatta hummed and leaned in to place a kiss on Genji's forehead. "Good. Now, shall we get ready for the day?"

"Can I get a good morning kiss?" Genji pursed his lips expectantly.

"Genji, I just gave you one."

Though Zenyatta's tone sounded scolding, the Omnic still shook his head affectionately and gave in. Genji grinned into the kiss, cupping Zenyatta's cheek and humming in delight. Pulling away with tingling lips, Genji took a moment to breath before diving right back in.

"One more kiss."

Zenyatta chuckled, ducking his head in order to avoid Genji's lips. Still, that did little to deter the ninja. He instead began peppering kisses all over Zenyatta's face and neck while Zenyatta did nothing but laugh.

"Genji!" He cried, trying to curb his giggling. Half-heartedly shoving at Genji's face, Zenyatta scolded him. "You are insatiable."

Despite his words, Zenyatta did give Genji a quick kiss. And if they happened to take a little longer to get out of bed, that was no one's business but their own.

* * *

"I can't explain it! Like, I feel extremely guilty, but I want to go through with the bet. Yet I don't want Zenyatta to ever find out and I seriously don't want to hurt him. What do you call that? Where you don't want to hurt someone and you don't want them to know how despicable of a person you are, but you still want to spend time with them and be around them, even if it's just in silence?" Genji asked, his phone on speaker.

" _You want my honest answer?_ "

Genji rolled his eyes, not taking his focus off the game he was playing. It had only been a day since Zenyatta had left for the speeches and already Genji was feeling extremely bored. Even his video games were seeming rather dull lately. "Well duh, that is why I called you. I need some good advice."

Naoki laughed, " _Are you sure it's advice you want_?"

"You are literally the only person I know who's in a relationship. And no way am I asking my dad for advice on this. He told me not to bother the monks and if I so much as mention this bet, that's it! Game over, no more Genji!"

Genji frowned when Naoki sighed, it wasn't like he was asking him the meaning of life! He was just asking Naoki a simple question! The only issue was that it was thickly worded! Other than that it should have a simple answer.

" _Look, Genji, do you seriously want my honest answer? 100% truth on what I think you're going through_?"

"Yes!"

" _You positive_?"

Now Genji was growing annoyed, "Just spit it out, dude!"

Naoki hesitated before he sighed again and started slowly. " _Well… To me it sounds like you're in love with master Zenyatta_."

Genji dropped his controller and watched with unseeing eyes as the character on the screen fell off the platform. The death music jingled ominously as Genji tried to get his brain to work again. Even his Dragon was sitting there in confusion, the beast processing those words just as slowly as its host.

"- _nji? Genji? Hey! You alive over there_?" Naoki's worried tone managed to drag Genji back from the brink of insanity.

Clearing his throat, Genji shook his head. "I'm sorry, what? I don't think I heard you correctly."

" _Genji, I know you heard me. I said it seems like you're in lo_ -"

"No! Don't even continue that!" Genji snapped, furiously running his hand through his hair. "I'm not in love and I won't ever **be** in love with Zenyatta. Of course I enjoy his company, but that's the same way with you and the others! Are you suddenly going to say I'm in love with you because I like your company? No? Then can it, because it isn't love. Thanks for the talk Naoki, but don't ever mention words like that when referring to me and Zen. Talk to you later, bye!"

And without waiting for a reply, Genji hung up and tossed his phone away from him. His disposition had quickly turned sour and Genji wasn't at all in the mood to continue his game. Turning it off, he flopped on his bed and covered himself with the blanket. An early nap sounded like just the thing he needed to calm down. Genji picked to ignore everything as he began to fall asleep. He even ignored that weird tingling feeling radiating from his tattoo. Nope, nothing was going to disturb him from this nap, nothing.

* * *

On the second night Zenyatta had been gone, Genji once again felt that tingling in his back. Though this time it was slightly painful and caused him to jolt awake.

"Fucking…" Genji breathed, leaning up on an elbow and turning on the little lamp on his bedside table.

Just as Genji was planning to climb out of bed to figure out what had caused the pain in his back, a very distinct purr rumbled in the room. Genji's eyes widened as he stared at the foot of his bed. Gazing back at him was his spirit, completely transparent, but bigger than usual. It was the size of a dog, maybe a shiba, but still long and thin like a noodle.

"What the fuck?!" Genji exclaimed, now fully awake. "How did you manifest?! I didn't summon you!"

The Dragon grinned smugly, coiling into a pile of limbs and purring. It didn't respond to Genji, but he was suddenly filled with the sense of foreboding. He didn't like this, not at all. Especially with how pleased his Dragon was looking; he just knew it was planning something. Genji could only hope it wasn't something that'd get Genji grounded for the rest of his life.

Pointing at the serpent, he huffed in annoyance. "You, back in my tattoo! I'm too tired to deal with this."

That was all Genji had to say before the creature purred and faded from existence like mist. Since when could it do that?! While Genji wanted to ponder on these new abilities of his Dragon and how suspiciously complaint it was, he couldn't muster the will to stay awake long enough. ' _I'll deal with it in the morning…_ ' Genji thought to himself, turning off his light and tucking himself under his blankets once again. ' _It's probably nothing. I must've summoned it in my sleep. Yeah, that must be it._ '

But that wasn't the case, for his Dragon would appear even when Genji was _awake_. It had been at breakfast that morning, Genji enjoying a meal with his family. Hanzo was sipping his tea, Tobikuma was reading the newspaper, and Genji was stuffing his face. But then that pain erupted from his spine and he choked on his food, hunching over the table and coughing like a smoker.

Hanzo clicked his tongue, patting Genji's back. "That's what you get for eating so fast. Learn how to chew."

"Not… Me!" Genji choked.

Suddenly the table grew extremely quiet and, when Genji looked up, he was glaring into the smug face of his Dragon. Again it was transparent and larger than when Genji summoned it. But this time Genji could feel its glee welling up. His spirit was pleased and Genji couldn't say he shared the sentiments.

"You almost killed me, damn snake!" Genji growled, pointing an accusing finger at the thing.

It snorted, floating over and landing next to Tobikuma, curling up near the Shimada leader. Tobikuma raised a brow, his look mirrored by Hanzo.

Not putting his paper down, Tobikuma cleared his throat. "Genji, as pleased as I am that you're interacting with your spirit Dragon far more, could you refrain from summoning it at the table?"

Genji groaned, "I didn't summon it! This thing summoned itself!"

"What?" Hanzo asked, looking mildly alarmed.

"Yeah! Did it last night, too! Nearly gave me a heart attack!"

Tobikuma held up a hand, now putting his paper down. "Hold on, are you to tell me that your spirit is able to depart from your tattoo whenever it pleases?"

Frowning for a moment, Genji rubbed his neck with one hand. "Um… Yes and no?"

"Elaborate."

Taking a moment to glare at his smug spirit, Genji sighed and leaned back on his hands. "Well it won't tell me why it does this, but I don't think it can do it often. I mean, when I'm in pain, it's in pain; and when it forcefully summons itself, it hurts. So I'm thinking that it can't do it often, just every now and again."

" **Correct**." His Dragon purred in his head.

Genji ignored the Dragon, he was still annoyed at the beast for _almost_ killing him. "And he may have learned some new tricks."

This time it was Hanzo who spoke instead of their father. "Such as?"

Glancing at his spirt, Genji flicked his hand. "Well? Go on, scat."

The beast huffed, but did indeed disappear like mist. Hanzo's eyes widened and Tobikuma let out an intrigued sound. Rubbing his chin, the Shimada elder nodded his head slowly.

"I see. So not only can it summon itself in a larger form, but it can now disappear without having to pass through your tattoo." Turning his gaze towards his eldest, Tobikuma inclined his head. "Hanzo? Are your Dragons able to do such a thing?"

There was silence for a moment as Hanzo conversed with his Dragons. From what Genji knew, Hanzo's Dragons were far more manageable than his. They talked to him frequently and the only times they were difficult were when they used riddles. But Hanzo was an extremely brilliant person, so it didn't take long for him to figure them out.

Hanzo hummed, frowning. "They said they cannot summon themselves, for I am in control of my soul and am in no state of distress. However, they did say that they could probably disappear just as Genji's Dragon did."

"So wait, my stupid worm has been summoning itself because I'm in distress? But I feel perfectly fine!" Genji's brows creased and his own frown pulled at his lips.

Rolling his eyes, Hanzo lifted his tea cup and sipped at the warm liquid. "Not your body, idiot. Your spirit is in distress. And because you lack control over the turmoil your soul is in, your Dragon is bypassing your authority."

Ignoring Hanzo's jab at his lack of control, Genji merely glared. "Well that's stupid, because I have nothing to be torn up over." ' _Unless they meant the bet, but why would that be the cause? I've **been** upset over it and my Dragon hasn't done anything like this before. So what's different?_ '

Tobikuma and Hanzo shared a look, both growing varying looks of amusement. Tobikuma snorted, shaking his head as he returned to his paper. Hanzo drank his tea, hiding his smirk behind the rim of the glass. Just as Genji was about to ask what was so funny, his father spoke.

"Do not worry, Sparrow. Your monk will return in a few days."

It only took a moment before it dawned on Genji what his father meant. He thought Genji was upset over the fact that Zenyatta wasn't here. A blush quickly blossomed on the young Shimada's face and he sputtered indignantly.

"T-that isn't it! I'm not upset over that! In fact, I don't care if Zen is here or not! It's just like before I even met him!" Genji snapped defensively, stabbing his foot with his chopsticks rather viciously. "I **don't** care!"

But Genji did care, immensely. And as the days dragged on, it became more and more apparent. He grew antsy, agitated, and was pretty much bitter company to those he was around. Which, sadly, turned out to be Hanzo. Genji was too restless to enjoy time outside the compound, so he threw himself into training. Most of the time he'd drag Hanzo into sparring with him till the both of them collapsed from exhaustion.

During one of these instances, Hanzo finally snapped. It was on the third night of Zenyatta's event trip. The two Shimada's had sparred from morning till dusk, only stopping to have short breaks and to take care of their needs. Hanzo had indulged his brother for as long as he could, but his patience quickly ran out.

"Enough!" Hanzo snapped, pushing against their clashed swords and knocking Genji back. The two shared fierce glares, Hanzo being the first to turn away.

As Hanzo sheathed his sword, Genji scrambled to a standing position. "Hey, where are you going?! You're supposed to help me train!"

"And I am." Hanzo hissed, glaring over his shoulder. "We train every day in the morning for one to two hours, that's it. Yet this past week you insist upon leeching away all of my time! I've humoured you for too long, Genji. If you are so keen on making a nuisance of yourself, do it somewhere else! But you'd better get rid of this attitude by tomorrow. Oto-san doesn't need you dampening his mood further."

Genji growled, "Well what else am I supposed to do then?! I don't want to hang out with my friends, I don't want to go outside, and I don't want to do much of anything! So tell me, oh wise and powerful Hanzo, what do you suggest I do?"

Hanzo paused in the doorway, taking a moment to cool his head. Breathing in deep and sighing, Hanzo turned slightly so he could look at his brother. "I don't know, why don't you try meditating? Put Tekhartha-san's teachings to good use."

As Hanzo left, he couldn't help but wonder how his brother would act once Zenyatta and the other monks left. He could only hope Genji was less trouble than he was now. If anything, Hanzo was hoping Genji would grow up and stop with his childish attitude. But then again, maybe that was hoping for too much. Still, Hanzo wouldn't deny being worried for his little brother.

Left alone in the dojo, Genji realized that Hanzo had made a valid suggestion. Since Zenyatta has been away, Genji has not meditated once. At first he had thought there'd be no point since Zenyatta wasn't there with him. But maybe Genji should meditate on his own? He shouldn't be this dependant on Zenyatta to keep him entertained! Genji was a grown man, damn it! He could handle another few days without Zenyatta's company!

With that in mind, Genji searched for a place to meditate. He didn't want to be disturbed, so he sat on the roof of the Shimada's personal quarters. There, Genji went through the motions of meditating, taking deep breaths and letting the sound of the wind and birds wash away his agitation and nerves.

Genji didn't know how long he meditated for, but by the time he opened his eyes, the moon was already high in the sky. Genji felt his stomach growling and grimaced. He'd missed dinner because he was so lost in meditation. But Genji couldn't really find it in him to be bothered by that. He, surprisingly, was feeling quite peaceful. He wasn't annoyed or restless, he was feeling calm and collected. In fact, Genji would say he was even in a decent mood. Not a good mood, but it was still better than he felt this morning.

And as Genji looked down next to him, he could feel his mood brightening. Sitting next to him was a plate wrapped in plastic foil. Inside sat four bulky pieces of Onigiri and a note. While he was amazed he hadn't even noticed someone come up on the roof during his meditation, Genji was too hungry to care. He wasted no time in unwrapping his dinner and taking a hearty bite of the simple meal. Picking up the note, Genji read it with stuffed cheeks.

" _Don't strain yourself meditating so hard. –Hanzo_ "

Genji chuckled, putting the note back on the plate and humming. "Thanks, Anija."

He finished his food silently, staring up at the sky and admiring the stars dancing across it. Once he was done, Genji slipped back into the household and deposited his plate in the kitchen sink. As for the note, he left it on the counter and wrote a "thanks" under it, followed by a smiley face. Hanzo would no doubt be the first in the kitchen tomorrow, so he'd probably see it. Genji then returned to his room and took a shower before falling asleep.

The next morning Genji woke up extremely early and summoned his Dragon. He told the serpent to rouse him in an hour and then spent that time meditating. After, Genji left his room, dressed in slacks and a button down. He headed to the kitchen, his Dragon floating after him. From the sounds coming from it, he could already tell it was Hanzo.

On important days like today, Hanzo and Genji refused to let any of the staff cook for them. They insisted on cooking the meals, as it was a special day. Tobikuma had no protests, the elder silently pleased that his sons knew how to cook. In case something were to happen, Tobikuma was glad his sons could handle themselves.

When Genji entered the kitchen, Hanzo didn't mention the note, but he did seem to be in a lighter mood than usual. He glanced at Genji and gave him a list of tasks to complete.

"Did you hide the alcohol?" Genji eventually asked. It was the same conversation they had on special days like these.

"Akira and Hikaru are handling it."

As if their name being said summoned them, the two Dragons scampered into the room. They were chittering and chirping, waiting for Hanzo to bend down and offer his arm for them to climb up. It seems they didn't feel like flying at the moment, the lazy worms.

Genji's own spirit was wrapped snugly around his neck like a scarf, purring a mile a minute. It was a wonder Genji could hear anything from how loud the spirit was being. But, then again, the Dragon was probably doing it out of a comfort thing. Today was a pretty depressing day after all.

"Rafters this time?" Genji asked, cutting up the meat Hanzo had laid out.

His brother's Dragons chirped and Hanzo translated for them. "No, somewhere else."

Akira puffed up his mane and purred, raising his head proudly. Genji's Dragon let out a sound akin to a laugh and it nodded its head in satisfaction. For some reason that the two could never fathom, the Dragons were able to understand each other, but Hanzo could not understand Genji's Dragon and Genji could not understand Hanzo's. They stopped question the weird quirks of their Dragons and their abilities years ago, but it was still an odd thing to think about every now and again.

Genji raised a brow when his Dragon informed him where the alcohol had been hidden. "The bottom of the koi pond? I hope you guys plan to be the ones to bring it back up next week, because I'm not in the mood for a swim." Hikaru snorted, rolling its eyes as if to say 'of course'.

It was something both Hanzo and Genji had started doing a few years after their mother had passed. When events like her birthday or her death anniversary came up, Hanzo and Genji had taken to hiding all the alcohol in the house. They had decided to do it every time because for the first few years without his wife, Tobikuma had developed a dependency on the beverage.

Tobikuma always turned to the bottle and would drink himself to the point he couldn't even move. Many times Hanzo was worried his father would drink himself into an early grave. Genji had shared this fear, so the two had conspired to hide all the alcohol they could find. Once they gained control of their spirits, it was even easier to find and hide the drinks. Even now they still did it as a precaution. It was better to be safe than sorry.

With their Dragons wrapped around them, Hanzo and Genji finished up breakfast in a peaceful silence. The only thing to occasionally break it was either of the brothers asking for something to be passed to them.

By the time Tobikuma made his way into the dinning area, seeming more sombre than usual, breakfast was finished and laid out on the low table. He kneeled down, waiting for his sons to sit with him. They all said their thanks and began eating, maintaining the silence. Once the meal was over, the three Dragons disappeared as commanded. Genji was left to clean up the dishes while his father and brother went to go get changed.

Genji got the necessary basket ready before he made his way out of the compound and to the entrance. There he waited for his father and Hanzo, both dressed in semi-formal attire like Genji. Tobikuma was the first to entire the sleek black car, then Hanzo, quickly followed by Genji. The three of them were driven in silence to a flower shop, Tobikuma exiting and picking up the bouquet. This flower shop had the bouquet already made, having anticipated Tobikuma's arrival. After all, this was the flower shop that always made bouquets for the Shimada family.

Once the flowers were picked up and Tobikuma was back in the car, they were then driven to the graveyard. Again, they kept their silence, each of them trapped in their own thoughts. Genji didn't know what his brother or father were thinking about, but Genji was remembering about the last night he saw his mother. He basked in the memory of her laughing and the way the festival lights made her beauty even more apparent. He blocked out the memory of where everything went wrong, instead focusing on the happy moments before his life was ripped right out from under his feet.

When they reached the Shimada's private graveyard, the bodyguards dutifully waited in the car, as they always did. Hanzo and Genji walked behind their father down the path leading towards the most recent headstone.

Kimiko's grave was placed right next to her father's, in the specific area dedicated to Shimada clan rulers and their spouses. The flowers resting on her gave were only just turning brown, indicating that they had been placed relatively recently. Tobikuma replaced the flowers, Hanzo holding the dead bouquet. Genji took out the items he packed away in the little basket, handing his father the bowl of plums and peaches. His father placed them on one of the grave's pedestals, taking the worn tea cup next to it and pouring out the remainder of the old liquid. He then held out his hand and Genji gave him the thermos of tea, Tobikuma refilling the cup and placing it next to the bowl of fruit.

The three then stood and, while Hanzo and Genji summoned their spirits, Tobikuma took the incense sticks in the basket and began lighting them. He handed one to Hanzo and one to Genji, taking one for himself. The Dragons were coiled around their hosts, heads bowed respectfully as prayers were uttered. Once the incense was placed in the small little ash pot, Hanzo and Genji took a moment to whisper greetings to their mother.

Then, as they usually did, Hanzo and Genji made their way back to the car as Tobikuma spent some alone time with his departed wife. Their Dragons faded the moment they were in view of the car, offering internal comfort in lieu of physical. The brothers usually didn't spend long visiting their mother when it was her and Tobikuma's wedding anniversary. That time was for their father to spend with their mother. They all spent the same amount of time with her on any other visit, but this visit was special.

It took nearly an hour before Tobikuma made his way back to the car. His grief was apparent, but not as strong as it had been the first few years. Now there was acceptance in his eyes, but also a bone-deep longing. Genji and Hanzo understood and, with barely any words passing between them, the trio spent the entire day together. They sat inside the compound, drinking tea and just relishing in the quiet company.

That night Genji ate before he meditated, falling asleep rather quickly. He was exhausted and he just wanted to see Zenyatta again. Already he was missing his laugh and the way the monk spoke. He missed kissing him and he missed holding Zenyatta.

' _If I already miss him this much after a week of not seeing him, how will I act once he's gone?_ ' Genji frowned at his thoughts and cast them from his mind. He tugged the covers over his head in an attempt to shut out such things. They had no place in his head and they had no right to make his chest ache.

Genji didn't get much sleep that night.

The next day seemed to drag on for hours. It was annoying and exciting all in one because Zenyatta would be coming back today. But the more Genji looked at the clock, the slower it seemed to go. Trying to distract his mind, Genji threw himself into training and cleaning his room. But just as Genji was finishing the rest of his self-given tasks, he realized something. If Zenyatta would be arriving at night, would Genji really stay up just to see the other? He didn't even need to bother with an answer, because he already knew what it'd be. Zenyatta was his boyfriend, of course he'd stay up just to see the monk. Even if they weren't dating and were just friends, Genji would stay awake.

Yet something happened, something Genji would never anticipate. It started around evening, Genji reclining in his room after eating a quick dinner. He was lying back, reading one of the books Hanzo had tossed his way. Apparently he was annoyed with Genji's barely contained enthusiasm, so he had given him a book in hopes that it'd keep Genji out of his hair till his Omnic returned.

It worked for a while, Genji drawn towards the story written on the pages. But just as he was growing bored, someone started knocking on his door. Sighing, Genji barely took his eyes off the book, having read the same paragraph for the past several minutes.

"Come in."

The door opened and his eyes flickered up to see who it was. Genji dropped the book and scrambled to a sitting position as he was greeted with the sight of Zenyatta. The monk, it seems, had returned early.

Zenyatta flashed Genji a smile, amused at his obvious surprise. "Genji, I missed you. How was your week?"

Genji opened his mouth to respond, but he didn't get the chance. His Dragon, which had previously been sleeping, suddenly snapped awake and that sharp pain erupted from his tattoo. Genji gasped slightly and almost fell forward from how harsh the pain felt. He'd almost forgotten the feeling, his Dragon not forcing itself to be summoned since that time at breakfast.

Suddenly he realized something. His **Dragon**.

"Wait!" Genji cried, but it was too late.

The green serpent appeared and was charging for Zenyatta. The monk could only let out a sound of surprise before the spirit barrelled into him and took him off his feet.

Genji couldn't process anything but the simple phrase, "Oh fuck."


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: I was gonna split this chapter in two, but it would've ruined the flow of it. So enjoy the monster chapter! Also, i posted a link on my AO3 file of this fanfic~ It's a link leading to a drawing I did of Hibiscus and Juliet. So if you wanna see that, just head on over to AO3 and find my fic~ Enjoy the chapter and don't expect another one for a while! I'm tired and need a break! Thanks again for reading and giving me your feedback! Love you all~

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"You stupid lizard!" Genji cried, grabbing his hair and yanking harshly on the strands. "Do you not realize what you've done?!"

The green Dragon glared momentarily at Genji before it snorted and turned its attention back to Zenyatta. The large Dragon was coiled around his waist, nuzzling under the Omnic's chin and purring fiercely. It ignored its host, too absorbed with cuddling close to the monk.

"Don't you snort at me!" Genji pointed an accusing finger at it, glaring just as harshly. "Anything that happens now is your fault!"

Pulling its head back slightly, the Dragon hissed at Genji. It puffed up its mane threateningly and growled low in its throat. Words weren't needed for Genji to understand what it was saying. The Dragon was threatening anyone to dare and harm the monk. It would rip out their throats before they could even raise a hand. As much as Genji wanted to scold it for thinking such things, Genji couldn't help but agree with the thing. Even if the most guarded secret of the Shimada household was found out, Genji would do everything to keep Zenyatta safe.

Said monk was still sitting up slightly, the lights on his forehead shining brighter than Genji had ever seen them. The mala that was usually dormant around his neck were now floating in stuttering motions, portraying the shock coursing through Zenyatta. His lights blinked off for a moment, almost as if he was shutting off his processors. Then they turned on and Zenyatta's body lost its tense posture, an artificial sigh leaving his frame.

Zenyatta cleared his throat, shifting into a lotus position. His mala seemed to also shake themselves from Zenyatta's shock. They fell into a calming orbit around him, an action Genji knew was Zenyatta trying to center himself.

Slowly Zenyatta settled his hands on his knees, unable to put them in his lap because the Dragon was sitting in it. Clearing his voice box, Zenyatta straightened his back before he started talking.

"Genji, there are many things I would like to ask you at the moment, but I can tell that this is a very serious matter." Pausing for a moment, Zenyatta thought of his next course of action. "For starters… Would you mind explaining this?"

Zenyatta didn't say it, but he had some idea as to what this Dragon was. He didn't want to assume right away, but over the years he had learned to trust the spiritual gifts the Iris had given him. And if what they had been telling him were true, then he knew exactly what this Dragon was.

Genji felt dread filling him at the prospect of telling Zenyatta everything. But what's the point of keeping it a secret? He can't play this off as a hologram. Maybe that would've fooled a human, but Zenyatta was an Omnic. Their sensors could tell the difference between hologram and reality with just a bit of studying. And Genji had no doubt that Zenyatta had studied his Dragon.

Biting his lip, Genji weighed his options. The first thing to do was to lock his door just in case his father or brother decided to pay him a visit. Genji then held out a hand to Zenyatta, offering to help the Omnic up. It was awkward, especially since Genji's spirit wouldn't let go. So Zenyatta moved extremely slowly when he followed Genji over to the bed.

They sat down facing each other, Genji biting his lip as he struggled to think of where to start. "Ok," He took a deep breath, "Just so you know, what I'm about to tell you has to be top secret. It's more important than the secret about my family being ninja's. Like, a thousand times more important. People have been killed for finding out about this."

Zenyatta did nothing other than stiffen slightly. But once again he rested his hands on his knees and re-center himself. Nodding once, Zenyatta kept quiet as he listened to Genji talk.

"Ok, so the Shimada clan has a secret that dates back to beyond ancient times. Legend says that my great great ancestor, very far back, like, thousands and thousands of years back, like older than dirt back-"

"Genji, you're rambling."

Wincing, Genji cleared his throat. "Right, sorry. Anyways, the stories I've been told says that my ancestor, Hajime Shimada, was the first to meet the Dragons. When he was a toddler, his parents abandoned him on the mountainside, all because they didn't want him anymore. It was obvious a child wouldn't be able to survive on his own, especially with winter approaching quickly. But, when it seemed like Hajime was going to die, something extraordinary happened."

It was a story Genji had been told constantly when he was growing up. The story was passed down through the Shimada family, each Dragon wielder being told the same tale. Genji and Hanzo had been told by their mother the story of Hajime and his Dragons Chiyoko and Tatsuo. He knew this story like the back of his hand, so it wasn't hard to retell it.

"Hajime was found by the mountain guardian, a fearsome Dragon with beautiful scales that changed colours with the season. When she had found Hajime, her scales were fading from orange to white, a testimony to how close winter was. Though at first Hajime was afraid, he couldn't find it in him to run. So he simply sat there and cried, cried for the family that had abandoned him, cried for the mother that would never hold him again.

"Mitsuko, the guardian, felt a deep sadness for the human. So she picked him up and took him back to her den. At the time, Mitsuko was a grieving mother. She had three eggs, each one hatching into strong, beautiful Dragons. She had two girls and one boy, the girls named Chiyoko and Sachiko, the boy named Tatsuo. Sachiko was a curious hatchling and would often stick her nose in places she shouldn't. One day while her mother and siblings were napping, she wondered too far. She was found by huntsmen who were in search of Dragons for the Emperor. Apparently only the locals were aware that the Dragons were the guardians of the mountain and that they were to not be harmed."

Zenyatta placed a hand to his faceplate, "Oh dear. They killed Sachiko?"

Genji was amazed at the grief laced in Zenyatta's tone. He was truly an empathetic being, even to creatures in stories from long ago. Nodding his head, Genji looked up towards the ceiling.

"Yeah, by the time Mitsuko found them, it was already too late. Needless to say the huntsmen weren't spared, at all. And the local towns didn't even bat an eye when Mitsuko flew down to deposit the bodies. If anything, they also grieved for Mitsuko and her lost child." Genji quickly went back to the story, feeling a little side-tracked. "Anyways, so she made the quick decision to adopt this crying human. After all, he too had lost something dear to him, albeit in a completely different circumstance.

"So Hajime was raised with Tatsuo and Chiyoko, growing up to believe he was as much a Dragon as his siblings. Mitsuko didn't try to deter him from thinking that way. In her eyes, he was as much a Dragon as her other two children. One summer, when his family's scales were a deep red and were just barely turning orange, Hajime stumbled upon a human girl. She was around his age and was apparently wounded, her leg twisted and turning purple."

Genji licked his lips, waving a hand as he spoke. "She didn't seem to be any threat, so Hajime approached her while his siblings hid in the treetops. Surprisingly, they're extremely hard to spot, even when they're about the size of a small horse. But I guess it might have something to do with Dragon magic or whatever? The story was never clear on it, just that if the Dragons wanted to remain hidden, nature would hide them."

When Zenyatta chuckled, it somehow managed to quell a bit of the anxiety roaring in Genji's chest. He could feel some of the tension leaving his body and it helped Genji speak better, less choking on his own words.

"Anyways, the girl was pretty freaked out. You would be too if this 18-year-old naked wild man appeared from the trees and was asking if you were alright. The girl was starting to panic and Hajime was at a loss for what to do. So Chiyoko left the tree and tried to calm the girl down. The girl, Yuzuki Shimada, pretty much fainted right after that. When she came to, she was in Mitsuko's den, being attended to by the naked man and two small Dragons. There was a lot of screaming and such, but after a while Yuzuki calmed down. And when Mitsuko came back from hunting, Yuzuki didn't pass out at the sight of her!

"They took care of her until her ankle healed, all the while Hajime learned things about her and she about him. Hajime learned that Yuzuki was from a nearby village and that she had come to the mountains in search of a specific plant that only grew there. Hajime had picked more than enough for her, almost more than she could carry! But Yuzuki was still grateful, especially to those that had helped her in her time of need. Even when Yuzuki left the mountain, she promised to return to give her thanks properly. It wasn't till a month later that she returned with a huge crate of sake and food. Mitsuko was pleased with the offerings and had told Yuzuki that she could come to the mountain whenever she wished. Yuzuki did indeed come to the mountain, though it wasn't because she was friends with Dragons. No, that was simply a perk."

At Genji's pause, Zenyatta cut in. "Let me guess, she came back to the mountain to see Hajime?"

Flashing him a grin, Genji chuckled and leaned against the wall. "Nothing gets past you." Though Genji wanted to snuggle with Zenyatta for the rest of the story, he didn't think it'd go over well. After all, he was being cuddled by a transparent Dragon, so his attention was pretty much divided.

But as if sensing Genji's desire, Zenyatta himself scooted closer. He took Genji's hand, tangling their fingers together and resting his head on the man's shoulder. Genji's Dragon spread out, laying across both Genji and Zenyatta's lap, though mainly on Zenyatta's.

Genji glanced at it, but ignored it in favour of staring at his and Zenyatta's joined hands.

"So Hajime and Yuzuki fell in love and began planning a future together. But Yuzuki didn't want to live on the mountains, no matter how much she loved Hajime. She wanted the two of them to live in her village where he could meet her family and whatnot. It took months, but eventually Hajime decided that was what he needed to do. Chiyoko and Mitsuko understood his reasoning's and, though it saddened them, they acquiesced. However his brother was a different story entirely. Tatsuo felt that Hajime was betraying him by leaving. So when Hajime left the mountain, it was on bad terms with his brother.

"Hajime and Yuzuki only lived a few miles away from the mountain, completely within flying distance for a mighty Dragon. Chiyoko and Mitsuko often visited him, but Tatsuo still refused. Even as the years passed and his mother pleaded with him to visit. Tatsuo remained stubborn and continued to hold onto his feelings of hurt and betrayal. Even when Hajime tried to visit the mountain where he grew up on, Tatsuo would always find an excuse to slip away. It hurt Mitsuko so much to see her son avoid his brother like that, but she couldn't do anything to sway Tatsuo's stubborn mind. Even when Yuzuki became pregnant and gave birth to a bouncing baby boy, Tatsuo didn't visit. But it was extremely obvious he wanted to, more than anything. He wanted to see Hajime and he wanted to see the little one named Ichiro Shimada."

Genji licked his lips and paused as he reached the point in the story that always made him sad when he was a child. "But just as he was finding his resolve, tragedy struck. It was just a normal day, one that seemed beyond peaceful. Tatsuo was finally going to leave with his sister and mother to see Hajime and he was more than excited. Yet as they were flying closer and closer to Hajime and Yuzuki's village, it became apparent that something was very wrong. In the distance they could see smoke, black plumes flying up into the sky and darkening it. The three of them felt dread welling up in their hearts at the sight. They broke their casual flying and instead began streaking through the air, covering ground in a matter of second. What they arrived to was both heart-breaking and rage inducing."

At this Genji took a pause, feeling the familiar bone-deep ache in his soul. His mother had said that it was the ghost feelings of his ancestors, an indication that the story held truth.

"The village was burning and people lay dead in the streets. Some were alive, but barely. Mitsuko sent her children to go and find Hajime while she tried to gather the survivors and take them out of the smog. The two Dragons tore through the village, calling their brother and his wife's name frantically. When they reached the house Chiyoko said was Hajime's, they could see that the house was burning and half of the roof had caved in. The two of them were barely big enough to slip in through the roof. But even with their size, only one could fit without causing more damage. So Tatsuo went in while Chiyoko kept the roof up with her neck as support.

"Tatsuo worried for his brother, searching as far as he could, pushing doors open with his snout and sticking his head in. Just as he was beginning to give up hope, he could hear crying over the sound of flames. Tatsuo pushed open what appeared to be the master bedroom and inside he could see many things. One was blood, so much blood. And leaning against the wall was Hajime, cradling the dead body of his wife and trying to calm his wailing child. Tatsuo cried, either from grief or relief it wasn't clear. But he wasn't alone in his crying, for when Hajime looked up to see his brother, he cried too."

Genji's Dragon whimpered, burying its head in Zenyatta's stomach and leaving it there. Zenyatta's entire form was stiff, but he was squeezing Genji's hand comfortingly.

Clearing his throat, Genji felt the pain in his chest ease slightly from Zenyatta's presence. "It took a bit of a struggle, but Tatsuo managed to get the three of them out of the burning house. Chiyoko carried the baby, Tatsuo carried Hajime and his wife. All the while Tatsuo could feel the blood pouring from the two. And it wasn't from Yuzuki, it was from Hajime. He was wounded, and gravely so it seemed. They flew to the edge of the village where Mitsuko was cradled around the few remaining villagers, using her magic to heal them as much as she could. And when she saw the state her son and daughter-in-law were in, she wailed in such anguish

"Hajime's wounds were too severe, Mitsuko wouldn't be able to heal him. For this she cried, she was unable to save another of her children from an untimely death. Tatsuo curled close to his brother, begging forgiveness and apologizing with every breath. But Hajime didn't see the need for apology. He had already forgiven his brother long ago. So, with Chiyoko, Tatsuo, and Mitsuko coiled around him and crying out their love, Hajime asked them to take care of his son and raise him. To bring him up like they did him, as a mighty Dragon. Of course they agreed, how could they not? And, with his last wish fulfilled and surrounded by his family, Hajime died."

Zenyatta's voice box stuttered and he gasped softly, his entire body radiating confusion. "H-he passed away? But I thought you said he was the first to control Dragons!"

Genji chuckled at how invested Zenyatta was in the story, it made him happy that the other would care so much for the Shimada's history.

"I said he was the first to meet the Dragons," Genji waved a finger in a mock scolding manner. This earned a scoff from Zenyatta that would've been accompanied by an eye roll if Zenyatta had eyes.

"Right, of course. How clever of you to word it in such a way." Despite his sarcasm, the affection in his tone was as clear as day. Nudging his boyfriend with his shoulder, Zenyatta waved his hand slowly. "Well? Do continue."

The young Shimada took a moment to get comfortable leaning against Zenyatta, humming as he picked up from where he left off. "The three of them roared in grief, their cries echoed by the little infant still too young to even walk. Mitsuko demanded to know who had done this, who had dared harm the village under her protection, who had dared to harm those she loved. Those able to talk were quick to inform the angered Dragon that it had been a warlord, bent on taking control of every part of Japan. His camp was not too far from the village, a few days ride on horseback, but mere hours for a Dragon.

"Mitsuko and her remaining children flew the injured to a nearby village, making sure they got treatment right away. Those that passed were also given to the village to be buried. The three attended each funeral, sharing the grief of the village at so many lives lost. Mitsuko appointed the village leader to watch Ichiro for them, as they had some business to take care of. It was obvious what they planned to do, they planned to take revenge. No one stopped them, for they wanted the revenge just as much. So Mitsuko flew with her two children towards the warlord's camp, their scales a burning red that matched the anger fuelling them.

"Once they reached the camp, chaos broke out. Tatsuo ripped men apart with his claws, for all those cut down by the blades of the army. Chiyoko lit fires and burned men alive, for the villagers who could not escape their burning homes. Mitsuko, the larger of the two, ate the humans that she would grab with her teeth, crushing the others beneath her feet, for her lost son and his wife, for the child that would never meet his parents. The slaughter lasted barely an hour, none survived. Those that tried to run where chased down by Chiyoko and Tatsuo, either burned alive or torn apart. There was no mercy that day, for Mitsuko and her children had none to give."

Genji took a moment to let the words sink in. He knew Zenyatta was the type who didn't favour revenge, the monk finding it to be a parasite that would never be satisfied no matter how much you fed it. But surprisingly, Zenyatta didn't give any indication that he disapproved of this. Instead he nodded his head stiffly, grip on Genji's hand tightening minutely.

"They returned to the village covered in gore and declared that the warlord and his army were dead. That they would never harm another human again. The village was uproarious with cheers and even the Dragons joined in, roaring their victory to the heavens. After that, they were reluctant to leave the villages under Mitsuko's protection. She made it a daily task to fly to each one and check up on them, not at all wanting a repeat of that tragic day. Tatsuo and Chiyoko watched the nursemaid feed and care for their little nephew since they could not. Tatsuo still grieved more than his sister and mother, even when their hearts started to heal and Ichiro began to grow up.

"But Ichiro was what Tatsuo needed to heal his heart. He was by far more protective of Ichiro and in turn, Ichiro was more attached to Tatsuo. Obviously he loved Mitsuko and Chiyoko the same amount, but he and Tatsuo had a bond that was special to them. When Ichiro was 15, he was already showing the signs of a great leader. He took charge, was a bit headstrong, but was kind and compassionate. Ichiro went everywhere with Chiyoko and Tatsuo, the two Dragons now the same size as their mother. But despite the happier times, the three Dragons always dreaded the chance it might happen again. They knew that humans were expanding. It was only a matter of time before a war broke out, this time taking more lives than just one village.

"Chiyoko and Tatsuo couldn't stand the idea of leaving their nephew unprotected when they would eventually become the mountain guardians. The thought was too fearful for them to even imagine. So the siblings decided on something. They would bind their souls to Ichiro. When they were hurt, Ichiro was hurt, which worked the other way around. Their lives were forever entwined with Ichiro and he became the first Shimada whose soul was tied to the Dragons. And to represent the soul binding, a tattoo of two Dragons appeared. They wrapped around his neck and wound around his body like twin serpents of protection."

Genji paused, sitting up and pulling his t-shirt up over his shoulders, exposing his back to the slightly chilly air. He turned so Zenyatta could see his tattoo as Genji continued talking.

"Ever since then, when a Shimada reaches the age of 15, their Dragon awakens and devours their human soul. It's a painful process, the feeling of the soul being consumed. To show that the Dragon has been formed, a tattoo unlike any other will appear. Through the tattoo the Dragon can pass into the real world in a tangible or spirit-like form. No matter what happens to a Shimada's body, the tattoo will always exist. If the limb the tattoo is on is lost, it will reform somewhere else on the body. But the agonising process of soul binding has to be repeated as the Dragon is branding itself into the skin once again.

"The firstborn of the Shimada always has two Dragons, any other child after that will have only one. Hanzo has two Dragons, I have one. My mother had two, Grandfather had two, my great-great grandmother had one and her brother had two, and so on and so forth. The cycle will always continue so long as the Shimada clan exists. Only a Shimada can control the Dragons, for only a Shimada is bound to them."

Genji tried not to jump when he felt cool metallic fingers touch his skin. Zenyatta slowly traced the tattoo with his fingers, a sound of awe leaving the Omnic. Biting his lip, Genji stared town at the bedsheet as he struggled to say the next works.

He took a deep breath, "The Shimada Dragons are a closely guarded secret. Only those that are a part of the family or the council know of their existence."

Zenyatta was quiet for a moment, absorbing this information and debating what file to put it in. This had information on Genji and the Shimada family, but Zenyatta was stuck between which folders to put it in. Though reluctantly, he decided to file it away in his internal Shimada folder. After all, it encompassed the entire Shimada family, not just Genji.

Only when that was done did the monk speak. "I had… an inkling that your soul was not entirely human."

Genji was quick to look over his shoulder at Zenyatta, brows furrowed in confusion. "Huh? How?"

As if in response, the mala around Zenyatta's neck glowed a faint blue and departed from around his neck, instead floating around them in a calming circle.

"I believe it has to do with the spiritual gifts the Iris had sent me. With the Discord and Harmony Orb, I was given other abilities. One of them is the ability to sense a person's soul and the strongest emotions it puts forth. I am able to sense a soul in turmoil and discord, as I am able to sense the peace and harmony of a soul. When I had first met you and your brother, I had thought my sensors were off. It was strange, I couldn't quite place it, but your souls felt more alive and… Aware than any soul I've seen."

Zenyatta looked down at the Dragon in his lap, "I see now that it was your Dragons that I was sensing. Your soul, though it had differing emotions at times, was never two things, but one. So this clears up some things that had confused me, though I can understand the hesitance to tell. I apologize you had to explain such an important family secret, Genji. I swear on my honour as a monk, I will never utter another word of this to anyone."

Genji felt relief wash over him, his shoulders slumping and a sigh escaping him. He trusted Zenyatta to keep his word, so there was no fear that his father or the council would order an " _accident_ " to befall the monk. Zenyatta was safe from harm, which was the most important thing.

As Genji adjusted his shirt and Zenyatta continued to stare at the Dragon, something extremely alarming and confusing happened. It left both Genji and his Dragon in states of bewilderment. Zenyatta had reached down and hooked his hands under the transparent Dragon before picking it up as much as he could.

Genji's eyes widened, as did his Dragon's. How could Zenyatta pick the thing up?! It wasn't tangible, Zenyatta should've just passed right through!

' **His spirit powers. Definitely the spirit powers, young Sparrow**.' The green serpent tried to reason.

Silently agreeing, Genji watched as Zenyatta tilted his head from side to side, studying the Dragon.

"So… If my guess is correct, when it is not out in the real world, it resides inside your body?" Zenyatta asked.

"Yeah, my tattoo to be exact. But it's like it lives in my mind? If that makes sense."

Zenyatta nodded slowly, humming in thought. "Well if there's anything to take away from this, it's that your dream now makes sense. Tell me, does your Dragon often cheat in cards?"

It took a moment before Genji burst out laughing. He smacked a hand to his face, shaking his head in fondness. "Aaah yeah, it's a little cheater. But don't worry, I'm a far more honourable ninja. I never cheat in a game, I only play dirty."

Zenyatta's voice box made a sputtering snort, a laugh quickly following. "Well I can't say I am any different. If I find an opportunity to end a conflict without too much violence, I will take the chance." His laugher mellowed out as he began carding his fingers through the Dragon's mane. "I have to ask, do you name your Dragons?"

Genji's mood took a nosedive, his smile turning into a frown. He looked at his Dragon, "… Yes, usually. Hanzo's Dragons are named Hikaru and Akira."

"Fine names for such beautiful creatures," Zenyatta nodded slowly. "And your Dragon? What is their name?"

"It doesn't have a name."

The Omnic's hand stilled, "… They don't?" He looked up at Genji, sensing the negative emotions welling up in the other. He hesitated before pushing on. "May I ask why?"

Genji sucked in a shuddering breath, knowing the question was coming. He looked at his Dragon, waving his hand. "Get out of here."

The beast huffed but did indeed get off of Zenyatta, nuzzling Genji before disappearing from sight. Genji then replaced the spot previously occupied by his Dragon. His arms wrapped tightly around Zenyatta's waist and he stayed silent for a long while, gathering up the will to speak.

Zenyatta was extremely patient, carding his fingers through Genji's hair with one hand and rubbing his upper back with the other. He was quiet with Genji, letting the Shimada sort out his thoughts. Around them Zenyatta's orbs still chimed their soothing song, bobbing lazily in the circle they made around the two.

Finally Genji breathed in through his nose and let out a shaky breath. "It's not a fun story. It's one I'd rather not think about, if I'm being honest."

Zenyatta stilled in his petting, placing a hand to Genji's cheek and silently coaxing the other to look at him. "Genji, if it pains you, then please do not force yourself to tell me. I am satisfied with what you have told me already, there is no need to go further. Your reasons for not naming your spirit are your own."

Genji shook his head, though he did reach up to hold Zenyatta's hand to his cheek. "No, I want to tell you. I… I need to talk about it."

For the many years since his mother's death, Genji hadn't talked about it with anyone. Not what he was feeling at the time and not what he still felt. He didn't talk about it to Hanzo or his father, he didn't talk to the therapist he and Hanzo had been sent to, Genji didn't even talk to his friends about it. He simply bottled up his feelings on the matter and buried them deep, the emotional jar guarded fiercely by his Dragon. But… Genji knew deep down he couldn't keep doing that. He had to make a change, maybe this was the first step to that.

So with Zenyatta held impossibly close, Genji began to talk of the day his entire world fell into ruins.

/

 _"Genji, my little Sparrow? Time to wake up!"_

 _"Mmm… No." Came the mumble under a mountain of blankets._

 _There was a few beats before the response came. "No?" Despite Genji's refusal to wake up, the door was pushed open anyways. "But I need you and your brother's help with a very important mission!"_

 _Genji whined at that, the 11-year-old poking his head out from his blanket fort. "Why meee? Wake Hanzo up first!"_

 _Kimiko Shimada grinned widely at her pouting son. She was dressed in a men's Kyudo uniform, purple accents woven into the black fabric decorated with the Shimada symbol and patterns of frost. The upper part of the keiko-gi was tied around her waist, her chest wrapped in bindings. But winding over her heart and behind her back where her Dragons, the tattoo's brilliant purple colour standing out against her pale skin. On the opposite side of her chest laid the Shimada brand, the raised scar tissue another thing to stand out against her skin. Yet the brand was one of many scars that littered Kimiko's skin; and even then, she was still beautiful._

 _Her black hair was tied up in a loose, high ponytail, the dark strands spilling down till they reached the base of her neck. Kimiko's eyes sparkled with mirth and love as she stared at her son, a giggle bubbling up from the peppy woman._

 _"What are you talking about? I've already got Hanzo!"_

 _Turning slightly, she showed Genji that yes indeed, she had Hanzo. However it probably wasn't how Genji was expecting, then again this wasn't the first time his mother had shown up in his room this way._

 _Hanzo was hanging from Kimiko's arm, her limb wrapped tightly around his waist. Hanzo was still sleeping if the sound of his light snoring was anything to go by. Kimiko easily held him up, not even seeming to be breaking a sweat. It was a testament to how strong she really was, being able to easily hold a growing 14-year-old with one arm._

 _Genji snickered at the sight of his brother, wriggling a bit to stick his hands out of the blanket. "Ok, but I wanna be carried too!"_

 _"Oh-ho! Is that so? Why? Did your legs get broken in your sleep?"_

 _Nodding solemnly, "Yes, my blanket did it."_

 _Kimiko smiled, stepping over the toys littering Genji's floor and bending down to pick up her son. "Well then we'll just burn the bedsheets when we're done. I'm sure Hoshiko and Ryuu wouldn't mind ripping up those dastardly things for daring to harm one of their hatchlings."_

 _Genji grinned widely, placing a hand over his mother's heart where the two Dragon heads rested pressed against each other. "Summon them, summon them! They can help!" He paused for a moment, head tilted in confusion. "What are we doing anyways?"_

 _As she carried her two children from the room, Kimiko hummed. "Well you see, today is the day of the Summer Festival."_

 _"Oh yeah!"_

 _"And I recall a certain papa of yours promising to go with us," Kimiko continued, not at all bothered by Genji's interruption. "So since today is a family day, I wanted all of us to spend it together! That means we're going yukata shopping, then maybe fishing in the Koi pond since the lake is too far, and after we'll get ready and then head to the festival! Sound like a plan?"_

 _Genji nodded his head so fast he made himself dizzy, but it was worth it to hear his mother chuckle at his enthusiasm. Looking down at the limp boy hanging in her grip, Kimiko bounced him slightly._

 _"How about you, Neko-neko?" She asked._

 _Hanzo lifted his head, a fierce pout on his face. It was most likely from being woken up rather than from the nickname. Neko-neko was the nickname Kimiko had given Hanzo when he was still a young boy. Apparently Hanzo had always been the type to pick up every stray cat he could find and try to take it home. The nickname had stuck and, despite how much Hanzo acted like he hated it, he only allowed his mother to call him it. After all, she had been the one to give it to him. Though thankfully his father never called him by it like he did with Genji's nickname. It just seemed odd for an intimidating man like his father to call him Neko-neko._

 _"… Fine." He huffed, slumping his head once again and going limp._

 _Kimiko chuckled, rolling her eyes fondly. Genji watched in awe and excitement as her tattoo glowed a faint purple and frost of a lighter hue seemed to appear over it. Two forms pulled themselves out of her tattoo, floating around them after a moment._

 _"Hoshiko! Ryuu!" Genji exclaimed in delight._

 _The two Dragons purred, each nuzzling the children being carried by their host. Hanzo seemed to wake up further at the nuzzling, his head lifting in interest. He yawned, touching the hand wrapped around his stomach in order to get his mother's attention._

 _"Okaa-san, please put me down." His words were broken up by a yawn._

 _Kimiko paused in walking, gently setting not only Hanzo on the floor, but Genji. Genji, loving the height being carried gave him, pouted at the loss of it. But he instantly cheered up when Kimiko took his smaller hand in her calloused one, her other hand taking Hanzo's. On either side of them floated Kimiko's Dragons, the lanky beasts following at the same slow pace._

 _"Now remember, we've got to be very sneaky when waking your papa up. He's been training to be a ninja since we married, so that's more than 20 years of training. He'll hear you if you aren't quiet!" Kimiko warned, though her tone was sunny._

 _Genji and Hanzo nodded as seriously as they could. Genji's young body was practically vibrating with excitement, the young boy struggling to keep his giggles under control. Hanzo managed to do better, though he still was twitchy like Genji, albeit slightly more subdued. As they crept towards Tobikuma and Kimiko's shared rooms, the Shimada head and her Dragons began falling back, letting her children go ahead of her._

 _When they reached the door, Genji and Hanzo paused, looking at their mother over their shoulders. Kimiko gave an encouraging nod and two thumbs up, grinning widely._

 _"You got this!" She cheered in a soft whisper._

 _The two brothers held their breaths and very slowly opened the door, creeping into the barely lit room. The blinds were open, but Tobikuma still seemed to slumber on the bed. Despite how quiet the pajama-clad boys were trying to be, it was obvious their stealth still needed work. Genji's breathing stuttered one moment in his excitement and Hanzo misplaced his foot, causing a floorboard to creak. Yet despite these mistakes, Kimiko still watched them from the doorway, her Dragons puffing their manes in pride at how far the hatchlings had come._

 _Just as Genji and Hanzo reached the edge of the bed, tensing their muscles in preparation to spring at their father, they were instead taken by surprise. With a fake battle cry, Tobikuma snatched his arms out and grabbed Genji and Hanzo. The two shrieked in surprise, which quickly crumbled into laughter as Tobikuma deposited them on the bed and began messing up their already bad bedhead._

 _"Tou-san!" Genji tried ducking from his father's large hand, giving his own little battle cry and launching a poorly made fist at Tobikuma's stomach. He didn't even manage to budge his father, but Tobikuma pretended to be wounded nonetheless._

 _"Ack!" He fell backwards, laughing as his sons climbed on him to lay across his chest and stomach._

 _"We caught you!" Genji declared, not at all perturbed by the fact that Tobikuma had technically caught them first._

 _"Give up." Hanzo added, brows set into what appeared to be an intimidating stare. It didn't help that he was struggling not to laugh and smile at the same time._

 _Tobikuma raised a brow at his children, "Give up? Don't you know? A Shimada never gives up!"_

 _And to punctuate that, he began tickling Genji and Hanzo's sides. The two boys yelped, quickly scrambling to the end of the bed where Tobikuma couldn't reach them. Kimiko came into the room then, leaning down to share a sweet kiss with Tobikuma._

 _"Morning, dear." She cooed._

 _"Good morning."_

 _The two ignored Genji and Hanzo's sounds of disgust. Tobikuma flashed his sons a grin before he gave her another kiss, this one longer but still chaste. The two boys made even more exaggerated sounds of revulsion, Genji pretending to gag over the bed._

 _When she pulled away, Kimiko was starry-eyed and smiling even sweeter than before. She giggled, a soft blush dusting her cheeks. Even her Dragons seemed to reflect her emotional state, the two of them purring up a storm and cuddling up against Tobikuma. He was used to the affection of the spirits, so it wasn't surprising when he picked them up individually and placed a kiss to their foreheads, greeting each of them._

 _"You're going to make them as useless as a dull blade if you keep this up." She scolded without any heat, turning to one of their dressers and opening it up._

 _Tobikuma glanced at Hoshiko and Ryuu, a brow raised. Ryuu seemed to be falling out of his blissed state, his purring tone downed to a barely audible sound. Hoshiko was still purring loudly, her body swaying from side to side where she sat. The rather ditzy Dragon had her tongue poking out of her mouth slightly, her eyes closed in happiness._

 _The three Shimada males chuckled at the sight, Genji and Hanzo watching their father climb out of bed. "Maybe, but thanks to them it's easier to read you."_

 _"Don't try and be cute," She wagged a finger at him, holding out his outfit for the day. "Now come on, I want to eat breakfast and then be down at the car before 10!"_

 _Tobikuma raised a brow but obediently took the clothes offered to him. "And may I ask why?"_

 _A chorus of "Oto-san!" and "Tou-san!" came from the two boys still sitting on the bed. Tobikuma glanced at them, a little surprised at the angry pouts he was getting. What happened to the happy atmosphere from a few minutes ago?_

 _"You completely forgot, didn't you?!" Genji pointed an accusing finger at the bewildered man._

 _Hanzo shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest. "Didn't you say a good ninja never forgets?"_

 _Kimiko snorted, "Now boys, don't be too harsh on your father. Everyone forgets things sometimes, even strong ninjas. Why, when I was pregnant with Hanzo, I completely forgot the day he was due."_

 _Tobikuma grimaced at the memory and the chaos that had ensued. "We were in the middle of a dinner flight with one of the Red Jiang clan heads. It was a two hour plane ride from Japan to China, we had only travelled an hour before your mother's water broke."_

 _Humming, Kimiko inclined her head towards Tobikuma. "See? Even I forgot."_

 _"How do you forget a baby?" Hanzo whispered to his brother, getting a shrug in response._

 _"Ok!" Kimiko clapped her hands together, "Genji, Hanzo, let's go and get you dressed for today! And then we can pick up our yukatas for the **Summer Festival**."_

 _She put emphasis on the last few words, giving Tobikuma a look. His eyes widened and he suddenly remembered that yes, they had made plans to spend the Summer Festival together. Nodding, Tobikuma flashed his wife a reassuring smile. She returned it with one of her own before she herded the two boys from the room, her Dragons disappearing like mist the moment she was gone._

 _It didn't take long before they were all sitting around the breakfast table, Tobikuma warning his sons to eat their vegetables. It took the words "A Shimada does not avoid eating vegetables" before Hanzo pushed away his disgust and picked up the purple-skinned pieces with his chopsticks. He curled his nose up at the eggplant and ate it quickly, washing out the taste with tea. Genji was more stubborn about refusing his helping of vegetables. He didn't mind the eggplant like Hanzo did, he could eat that with no problem. It was the carrots he had an issue with. From their outrageously orange colour to the nasty way he thought they tasted. To Genji, carrots were the enemy._

 _"Just plug your nose and eat them, I promise it helps, my little Sparrow." Kimiko encouraged._

 _"No way!"_

 _"Please? For me?"_

 _Genji shook his head, opening his mouth to refuse once again like the petulant child he was. But before he could speak, another voice came from outside the dining room._

 _"Lord Shimada? I have some urgent information to tell you." Came the slightly winded voice._

 _Tobikuma and Kimiko shared a frown before they looked back at the shoji screen. "Enter." Kimiko said, her poster straightening and her voice losing its gentle lit._

 _Hanzo and Genji blinked, watching as one of the Shimada's guards entered the room. He bowed to the family politely, then once Kimiko nodded, he quickly rushed over and kneeled next to her. Kimiko kept her entire posture calm and straight, radiating power as the suit-clad man whispered quickly into her ear. Suddenly Kimiko's eyes flashed violet and a deep rage appeared in those usually kind depths. Yet the moment her gaze flickered to the two boys sitting across from her, the look was gone and instead was replaced with one of calm._

 _"Understood. Take him to the dojo, Tobikuma and I will be there shortly."_

 _The guard nodded and left, Kimiko standing not a moment after. "Hanzo, Genji, be sure to finish up breakfast and put your plates in the sink so the staff can wash them. Your father and I will return shortly, so be ready to leave by the time we get back."_

 _There was a chorus of "oks" from the two. They watched as Tobikuma and Kimiko left, their footsteps fading down the hall. Then, almost as if a switch had been flipped, Hanzo and Genji grinned at each other._

 _"Second floor?" Genji questioned, following his brother out of the room._

 _"Second floor."_

 _The two quickly made their way to the Shimada's personal dojo, the two running along the bridge leading to the upper levels of the dojo. They made sure to stop sprinting the moment they reached it, instead slowing their paces to a barely-there crawl. It took several minutes before the boys were close enough to peek over the second floor railing and down into the main area of the dojo._

 _Already they could see four bodyguards in the room, two of them holding down one that looked to be rather beaten up and bleeding from his face. The third guard had a hand pressed to his ear, probably speaking through an earpiece. All but the bleeding one looked up when Kimiko and Tobikuma entered the dojo, Tobikuma a few steps behind the head of the Shimada clan._

 _Kimiko had been born and raised to lead the clan, never mind that she was a female. She was the firstborn and a wielder of the Dragons, she was the heir to the Shimada Empire the moment she was born. Because of her status as head, it was her job to handle all matters of the clan, such as things like this._

 _Genji hit his brother's arm in rapid succession, his eyes wide as he hissed at his brother. "Her blade! She's got her katana!"_

 _"Hush!" Hanzo hissed back, not even bothering to glare at Genji._

 _The two brothers watched in rapt attention as their mother stopped in front of the man being held down, Tobikuma moving off to the side with the extra guards._

 _"I have just been informed of your little… Escapade." Kimiko's voice was cold, a completely different sound than the one Hanzo and Genji were used to. "You tampered with the car we planned to use today, planted a bomb that would kill my family and I. Did you think we wouldn't notice? We screen cars we plan to use minutes before we even step foot anywhere near those cars. But you knew that, didn't you? You snuck in right after the screening, not intending for us to even drive out of the complex. No, you had every intention to detonate the bomb the moment we got close enough to the car, didn't you?"_

 _Kimiko unsheathed her blade, handing the casing to Tobikuma as he stepped forward. She didn't even glance at her husband as he stepped back, her entire focus was on the man kneeling before her._

 _"But that's merely speculation, isn't it? Then again, it wouldn't be the first time it happened. The Ishikawa clan just loves using explosives since that appears to be the only way to kill a Shimada."_

 _The man jolted slightly, eyes flickering up to Kimiko and then back down to the ground just as quickly. But that was enough of an answer for the Shimada leader._

 _Her foot connected to the man's face with a loud crack. The force was enough to pull him from the grip of the two bodyguards. Kimiko stepped forward, pressing a bloody sandal to the chest of the man cradling his nose. He wheezed, blinking through the forced tears._

 _Genji and Hanzo couldn't see Kimiko's expression from where they were, but they could see how the man's eyes widened in fear. He began stammering, trying to find words to say. But Kimiko didn't care, she just continued speaking, her tone chilled and dripping with venom._

 _"I'm right, aren't I? Fucking worm, that sorry excuse for a clan needs to change their tactics. My mother died in a car explosion set up by the Ishikawa. Why do you think my father decided to set up the screenings? He knew something like this was bound to happen again. And he had been right. Want to know how I found out what you were planning? Simple. I have eyes **everywhere.** " Kimiko lifted her foot off the man, stepping back and nodding her head. She watched as the two guards picked him up to kneel in front of her again, his broken nose skewed in an abnormal direction._

 _Kimiko flexed the fingers wrapped around her blade handle, "You know, I might have gone easy on you if it was just me you targeted. But you made a mistake, you targeted my family. And if there's one thing I want you to take into the afterlife, it's the reminder that you never mess with a Dragon's family."_

 _She raised her blade in a quick arch and Hanzo quickly covered Genji's eyes. However, Hanzo's hands over his eyes did nothing to block out the sounds. There was a ripping sound and a shriek of agony before a thud and the sound of liquid dripping furiously onto the tatami mats. Hanzo swallowed, watching with wide eyes as his mother severed the arms off of the man in quick strikes, blood flying from her blade and scattering around them. He was shaking slightly and next to him Genji was slightly hyperventilating. The two knew that the woman down there was their mother, but she also wasn't._

 _"On your knees." Kimiko demanded, voice just as calm as always. The only thing that gave away her anger was the deep growl echoing around the room and her tense shoulders._

 _Hanzo watched everything, the way the bodyguards moved back, coated in blood. The way the tattoo on Kimiko's back rippled purple for a moment as if Ryuu and Hoshiko were fighting to be released. The way Tobikuma watched the entire ordeal with dark, cold eyes. Hanzo even watched till the very end when Kimiko swung her blade in a clean sweep. There was silence for a moment and then the man's head fell from his body, blood spurting from the wound and more pouring out as his torso hit the floor. The blood pooled around Kimiko's sandals, creating a puddle where she stood._

 _The young Shimada felt as if he was going to be sick. No, he knew he was going to be sick. But first he had to get Genji out of here; before anyone noticed they had been watching. Genji was pulled into a standing position and tugged towards the exit, but not before he glanced over his shoulder and saw the butchered remains of the man. He gagged, closing his eyes tight and letting Hanzo tug him along._

 _The moment the two of them were hidden beneath the bridge, Hanzo used the stone wall as support before he puked up the contents of his breakfast. Genji followed suit, the boy still dry heaving even when he had nothing more to vomit. When he was done, he wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand._

 _"S-she killed him!" He gasped, hands shaking. "Kaa-san killed a man!"_

 _Hanzo took deep breaths, just as shaken up as his brother. "She had to!"_

 _"She had to kill a person?!"_

 _"He was going to kill us!" Hanzo snapped, straightening his back. "Okaa-san did what she had to! That's what it means to be a Shimada. Killing threats before they can get us!"_

 _Genji looked up at Hanzo, eyes impossibly wide and full of uncertainty. He shook his head, letting his gaze drop to the floor. "But it's still a life, Hanzo. Killing people is wrong."_

 _Watching his little brother, Hanzo frowned slightly before he moved over, hugging him tightly. "Yeah, I know. But… Okaa-san does what she can to protect us. Remember the story of Hajime and his mother? And how she got revenge on the warlord for taking away her son?"_

 _When Genji nodded his head slowly, Hanzo continued. "Well Okaa-san is just like Mitsuko. But the difference is that she's getting rid of those who might hurt us before they get the chance to. This way, Okaa-san and Oto-san don't have to worry about us dying."_

 _"… I guess." Genji mumbled, shrugging his shoulders half-heartedly._

 _"Genji," Hanzo pulled back so he could hold Genji by his shoulders. "You have to remember, you know who Okaa-san is, she's warm and happy and not at all cold or cruel. We're her children, she'd never hurt us."_

 _Genji bit his lip but nodded. He knew Hanzo was right, that Kimiko would never hurt Hanzo or Genji. She loved them too much to even think of such a thing. It didn't matter if they did something bad or got in trouble, Kimiko would merely scold them and forgive them just as quickly._

 _But even if Genji knew this, he still couldn't forget how cold Kimiko had sounded. It was such a jarring difference from the woman he's grown to know. But then again, maybe this was why Kimiko never allowed them to attend the clan meetings. Hanzo and Genji weren't stupid, they knew the Shimada clan sometimes did bad things. But there was a difference between knowing it and seeing it first-hand._

 _So it wasn't any surprise that, as Genji was daydreaming, Kimiko touching his cheek lightly made him jump. Genji's breath halted as he stared at Kimiko's hand, then her eyes. She had no trace of blood on her body and was staring at Genji curiously, a small smile pulling at her painted lips._

 _Kimiko was dressed in a beautiful white Yukata that was decorated with purple Dragons and flowers of a similar colour. Her hair was pulled up into a bun, a beautiful kanzashi ornament dangling from the bun. Her makeup was simple and easy on the eyes, perfect for someone like Kimiko._

 _"Genji, honey? I've been calling your name for a while now, are you ok?" She asked, obviously concerned._

 _Genji hesitated, hands fisting behind his back. He wanted to tell her no, he wasn't. That he couldn't stop thinking about that man and his body parts being severed. But as Genji stared at his mom's face, stared at the laugh lines already appearing, stared at her loving and concerned eyes, Genji found it easier to push those memories away. Even if the things his mom did were bad, that didn't change the fact that this was Genji's mom. Hanzo was right, Kimiko would never hurt them because she loved them too much to even consider it. She was the Mitsuko of their family, she would keep them safe._

 _Genji smiled at his mother, leaning into her touch. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just thinking about all the food I'm going to eat!"_

 _She chuckled, kissing his forehead and standing. "Well I'm sure there'll be plenty of tasty things for us to try."_

 _Kimiko then turned to help Hanzo tie his obi sash. Genji and Hanzo had custom yukatas just like their mother. Genji's was a deep sage green with its own flourish of Dragon designs. Hanzo had picked a navy blue for his yukata, the Dragon thematic also adorning his outfit. Tobikuma was dressed similar to Hanzo, navy in colour with Dragons dancing across it. On the back of the yukata's were the Shimada clan symbol, embroidered in a colour that would pop out against the fabric._

 _Just as they were all prepping to leave the compound and head to the guarded car, another bodyguard interrupted them. He bowed to the family before speaking._

 _"Lord Shimada, the council has requested an audience with you and your spouse. They want to talk about the recent… Conflict." He said._

 _Kimiko frowned and glanced at Tobikuma, "Really? Just as we were about to head out?"_

 _Tobikuma hesitated before he smiled at Kimiko, placing a kiss to her forehead. "You and the boys go on ahead of me, I'll attend to the council."_

 _"Are you sure?" She frowned up at her husband, "It could take hours before you're able to go to the festival. We can just wait till I finish the meeting with the council."_

 _He slid his arms around his wife's waist, pulling her close and nuzzling her cheek. "It's fine. Go have fun, enjoy the night. I will try and finish up as quickly as I can."_

 _Though Kimiko seemed reluctant, she nodded. "Alright. But you'd better be prepared. Tomorrow I want us to have an actual family day, no interruptions!"_

 _Tobikuma chuckled warmly, sharing a sweet kiss with his wife. "Of course. Anything for you."_

 _Kimiko grinned, "Good."_

 _So the three bid Tobikuma a farewell and made their way to the car. Once they got to the festival, the sun was starting to set and lanterns were starting to turn on. Booths of all kinds were set up down the paths, people mulling about and enjoying the atmosphere. When they got out of the car, Kimiko took Hanzo and Genji's hands in hers, grinning down at each of her boys. Behind them three bodyguards followed at a small distance, merely there to deter anyone from trying anything._

 _"Remember, keep close to me, ok?" Kimiko made sure to say before they walked anywhere._

 _"We will."_

 _"Got it!"_

 _"Good," She smiled warmly, "Then let's go!"_

 _It was exciting, the games the family played at the booths and the general atmosphere of the event. Hanzo and Genji were quick to chow down on the chocolate bananas their mother bought them, Kimiko dutifully eating the stuff her children wanted her to try. One such item was a candy being advertised as the sourest thing in the world._

 _Kimiko took a deep breath and pat her fist to her chest, steeling up her nerves. "Alright! Let's try it!"_

 _She bought three pieces of the candy, waiting for her children to take theirs before she took her own. Hanzo had his eyes narrowed in anticipation, Genji was grinning brilliantly in excitement. Sharing a look with the two boys, Kimiko nodded her head._

 _"Ready? On three. 1… 2… 3!"_

 _They all popped the pieces of candy into their mouths and waited. Instantly the taste hit them and they gained various reactions. Kimiko choked slightly, pocketing the candy in her cheek as she tried to blink through tears. Hanzo's face scrunched up but he powered on, not at all willing to give up and spit the candy out. Genji had his eyes screwed shut and was pulling a face, but like his mother and brother, he didn't spit the candy out._

 _Eventually the sourness gave way to a sweetness, which was a great relief. One by one their expressions relaxed and morphed into ones of amusement. Kimiko was the first to laugh, not long followed by her children._

 _"That was really sour!" Genji exclaimed, now enjoying the sweetened candy._

 _Kimiko nodded, reaching down to take Hanzo and Genji's hands. "It was! We'll have to get Tobikuma to try it as well!"_

 _"Yeah!" Hanzo and Genji cheered in unison._

 _One of the bodyguards had his hand pressed to his ear and was nodding, muttering back to whoever was speaking. He then moved forward, tapping Kimiko's cheek in order to get her attention. Leaning close, he whispered softly to her._

 _The two boys couldn't hear everything, but they managed to catch a few words. Things like " **Ishikawa** ", " **car** ", and " **the festival** ". It made Hanzo and Genji share a confused glance, the Ishikawa were the ones who planted the bomb. And were they talking about the Summer Festival? Were the Ishikawa here?_

 _Kimiko frowned, the grip on her son's hands tightening. "Contact Tobikuma, inform him on what's going on." To her children she flashed them reassuring smiles. "Hanzo, Genji, I'm sorry we have to cut our fun short. I promise next time we'll stay longer, ok?"_

 _The boys could only nod, they weren't stupid enough to give away that they knew that the Ishikawa were bad news. So they didn't kick up a fuss when their mother began leading them out of the festival streets, her pace quicker than normal. Genji stumbled a couple times just trying to keep up with his mother, Hanzo having the same issue._

 _Suddenly strange cans were tossed onto the path in front of Kimiko. It took only a moment before the can made an alarming popping sound. A few people yelped at the sound, a couple more cries coming out as smoke began pouring from the can. Around them more cans landed, popped, and then flooded the area in smoke. It quickly became difficult to see, people stumbling into each other and crying out in confusion. Kimiko's eyes were wide as she held onto Hanzo and Genji's hands._

 _"Stay close to me!"_

 _But before Genji could respond, arms wrapped around his waist and yanked him from his mother's grip. Genji yelled, flailing his limbs in order to try and dislodge his kidnapper. Kimiko sounded like she was running after them, screaming Genji and Hanzo's name. As his kidnapper broke through the smoke and pushed through the remaining crowd, Genji realized two things. One, Hanzo was being carried away as well. And two, they had been on the outskirts of the festival._

 _A black car pulled up, the door flying open and a man ushering the kidnappers in. Genji and Hanzo were thrown into the back of the car and the door was slammed closed. The car sped away at an alarming speed just in time for Kimiko to witness it._

 _"No!"_

 _In the car, Hanzo and Genji were kicking and clawing at the men trying to hold them down. The young boys were no match for the bulky men, their hands quickly tied behind their backs._

 _"Get back to the clan!" One of the goons snapped to the driver._

 _"I am!" The driver hung up the phone he had been on, tossing it into the passenger's side. "They know we're on our way with the Shimada heirs in tow!"_

 _Hanzo snarled, huddling close to Genji and glaring at the men. His little brother trembled against his side, unable to muster the will to seem as tough as Hanzo. Yet even with Hanzo growling like he was, Genji could feel his brother trembling. Hanzo was scared, they both were._

 _One of the Ishikawa goons looked out the back window of the car, cursing loudly. "We're being followed!"_

 _"The Shimada?!"_

 _"Looks like!"_

 _Genji, despite his heart pounding, peeked at one of the men from behind Hanzo. "My Kaa-san is gonna tear you guys apart!"_

 _A few looks of fear flashed over some of the men, but one simply glared at Genji. He reached for his hip, pulling out a black pistol and flashing it to Genji._

 _"See this? I don't think she'll even dare to come close, especially if she doesn't want one of your heads to be blown off." He hissed._

 _Genji flinched and Hanzo glared, lifting his chin defiantly. "Fuck you."_

 _Any other time Genji would've snickered and admired how cool his brother sounded, but right now he was kind of cowering in fear. The goon who had been looking out the window cursed again, turning to face the driver._

 _"They're pulling up to the side!"_

 _The driver glared in the rear-view mirror, "Then shoot them! They won't risk retaliating!"_

 _As they rolled down the windows to shoot at the Shimada's vehicle, a black shadow moved from the roof of the car and jumped. It landed on the top of the Ishikawa clan's car with a loud thump, startling everyone._

 _"What was that?!"_

 _They looked up at the skylight, seeing a flickering purple light through the tinted window. Suddenly a crackling sound filled the air and those in the backseat watched with wide eyes as frost began crawling over the skylight._

 _Hanzo, knowing instantly what might occur, curled towards Genji. "Close your eyes!"_

 _Genji didn't need to be told twice, tucking his head towards Hanzo and closing his eyes tight. There was a crash as Kimiko punched through the frozen mirror and she dropped into the car. The men cursed, one dropping his gun to lunge at her._

 _The two boys peeked their eyes open and watched in awe as their mother fought in a confined space._

 _Her yukata was shredded at the bottom, dirt and blood splattered on it. Kimiko's sleeves were in no better shape, ripped at the shoulders in order to give her free mobility. Her fist was bloody from the glass, but she didn't even seem to care. Clenched in her hand was her kanzashi, the pointed tip brandished like a weapon._

 _She dodged a hand aiming for her, lurching forward and stabbing a man in the throat, dragging the blade. He gurgled and choked as his blood spurted everywhere, his hand scrambling wildly to the wound. Kimiko snarled at someone who trained their pistol on her, the Shimada ducked, not giving the man a good shot. She threw the kanzashi and stabbed the man in the hand with it._

 _The moment the gun dropped, Kimiko snatched it up and slammed the man into the car door, placing the muzzle of the gun under his chin and shooting twice. He slumped just as Kimiko turned the gun, shooting the remaining goon and the driver. The car swerved violently and Kimiko dropped the gun. She lunged towards Hanzo and Genji, holding them close to her body as the car twisted and slammed into something._

 _Their bodies were thrown forward, but Hanzo and Genji didn't suffer much injuries thanks to Kimiko. She took the brunt of the force, her back hitting against the driver's seat cushion. Kimiko gasped, wincing in pain, but quickly recovered._

 _She unbound her children and began checking them for injuries. "Hanzo, Genji! Are you ok? Did they hurt you?"_

 _The two boys shook their heads, stunned for a moment before Genji's excitement caught up with him._

 _"Kaa-san! You were so cool!" He exclaimed, bouncing in his seat._

 _"You broke through a window! And jumped onto a moving car!" Hanzo added._

 _Kimiko blinked down at her sons, surprise written on her face. Suddenly she broke into a wide, watery smile. She hugged Hanzo and Genji, laughing in relief and happiness._

 _Slowly she took Hanzo and Genji out of the bloodied car, her body wobbling slightly. Taking her children's hands, she looked up as the Shimada's car pulled close to the crash. But they suddenly stopped and opened the door, shouting._

 _"Lord Shimada! Behind you!"_

 _Whipping around, Kimiko growled at the two cars that had pulled up. Out came armed men of the Ishikawa clan, their guns trained on Kimiko and her children._

 _"Hand over the boys!" One of the men shouted, cocking his gun._

 _Kimiko hissed, her eyes flashing purple and a deep growl coming from her chest. Purple light danced across her yukata, a ripple of scales sliding along her skin._

 _Gritting her teeth, Kimiko put herself in front of Hanzo and Genji. "Over my dead body."_

 _And for the first time ever, Hanzo and Genji witnessed their mother summoning her Dragons in a true battle setting. When she sparred with Tobikuma and summoned her Dragons, they had never been this large or fierce. They had been smaller, playful, not at all trying to consume Tobikuma's soul. But now, in this situation, the two were out for blood._

 _They broke through the air and materialized into existence, roaring as they charged at the men. A few screamed and dropped their guns, the others merely began shooting in fear._

 _Kimiko gasped, grabbing Hanzo and Genji, hugging them to her chest as she put her back to the carnage happening behind her. Kimiko's body jolted a few times as the gunshots continued echoing around them. Hanzo and Genji clung to their mother, listening to the screams of the men who dared go against a Dragon protecting her children. Their screams cut out abruptly as Ryuu and Hoshiko consumed their souls and flesh, leaving nothing but the guns and cars._

 _Genji lifted his head, peeking over his shoulder at Ryuu and Hoshiko. They were standing on the two cars, their bodies frozen and their glowing eyes wide. Genji gasped, the Dragons weren't transparent anymore; they were solid in their massive forms. Red liquid was starting to drip from their jaws in huge globs, splattering against the cars they were on._

 _Hoshiko wobbled and slipped off her car, landing in the dirt on her side. Ryuu slid off his car clumsily and collapsed in a heap, his breathing erratic. Genji wrenched his eyes from them and pulled back, looking at his mother. Hanzo had done the same, having watched the Dragons collapse off the cars just as Genji did._

 _The boys gasped and their eyes widened as they saw the crimson liquid dripping from their mother's mouth in a steady trickle. She took a gasping breath, falling to the side._

 _"Kaa-san!"_

 _"Okaa-san!"_

 _The boys cried, scrambling to figure out what was wrong. Genji placed a hand to his mother's back, the limb coming away a gory mess. He looked up at Hanzo with wide, shaking eyes._

 _"She's been shot!"_

 _Hanzo was shaking as he pushed his mother's hair from her face, trying to keep calm despite his panic. "Okaa-san, how do we stop the bleeding?! What do we do?!"_

 _By now the bodyguards from the car had rushed forward, having hesitated after seeing the Dragons emerge from their boss. But they had shaken off their stupor the moment Genji had yelled that she was shot._

 _"Call the paramedics!" One shouted._

 _"On it!" The other whipped out their phone._

 _Kimiko gasped, reaching up and touching her son's faces. "Hanzo, Genji…"_

 _Genji hiccupped, holding his mother's hand. "Kaa-san, don't speak! You need to save your strength!"_

 _She gave a warm, tired smile. She pulled her son's close, struggling a bit to hug them at the same time. But somehow they managed, the two boys clinging to their mother tightly._

 _"Shhh, it's ok," She murmured, kissing the tops of their heads. "Everything is going to be ok."_

 _Hanzo sniffed, shaking his head. "You can't die, you promised we'd have a family day tomorrow!"_

 _"And you still haven't met our Dragons yet!" Genji cried, burying his head in his mother's shoulder._

 _Kimiko gave a watery chuckle, "I know, I know. I did promise, didn't I?"_

 _"You can't break your promise!"_

 _"A Shimada never breaks their promises!"_

 _Placing a hand to their cheeks, she pulled back so she could look into their eyes. Even as she lay dying, Kimiko was smiling at them. She was smiling and crying because these were her sons and she loved them more than anything. She loved their laugh and she loved their smile. She loved the way Hanzo would try to mimic their father, she loved the way Genji would find humour in any situation. She loved training with her boys and she loved teaching them about their heritage. Kimiko loved every moment she had with their family._

 _Kimiko chuckled, more blood spilling from her lips. "I know, but… This is a promise I can't keep… I'm so sorry." Tears spilled from her eyes, "I wish I could met your Dragons, I'm sure they would have been wonderful. I wish I could see you boys grow up and find love. I wish I could attend your weddings. I wish I could have more time with you two."_

 _She drew in a shuddering breath and her eyes widened, her body convulsing slightly. Behind her, Hoshiko and Ryuu went rigid, Ryuu throwing his head back and shrieking. Hoshiko joined him, their bodies shaking from the force of their death cry._

 _The sound echoed in Genji's ears, drowning out the sound of his sobbing. He watched the two beasts tremble before their movement stilled and they went limp. Their eyes lost their light as their own tears streamed down their face. But as their writhing stopped, so did their screaming and tears. The tension left their coiled bodies and they sighed in unison._

 _Though there was no wind, Hoshiko and Ryuu were seeming to be blown away. Bit by bit their bodies turning into glowing sand that was swept up into the air, disappearing from sight till nothing remained of the Dragons but the blood they left behind._

 _The brother's tore their eyes away from the sight and looked down at their mother. She was breathing hard, face scrunched up in pain and her tears coming faster. Choking on her blood, Kimiko scrambled to hold Hanzo and Genji's hands, squeezing them tightly._

 _"I-I love you both. S-so m-m-much. And your father, I love him too!" She sobbed, still trying to smile despite how hard she was crying. "P-please, take care of each other… E-even when I'm not here."_

 _Hanzo wiped furiously at his eyes, unable to stop the tears from falling. "We will, Okaa-san."_

 _Hiccupping, Genji stared at his mom with watery eyes. "Please don't go."_

 _Her smile conveyed everything, her love and sorrow, her pain. She placed a kiss to each of their cheeks, the boys not even caring they were getting blood on their face. "I'm sorry… I love you both."_

 _Genji bit his lip in order to try and quell its trembling. "I love you too, Kaa-san."_

 _"We love you more than anything." Hanzo whispered, leaning down to kiss Kimiko's tear-stained cheek. Genji mimicked the action, squeezing Kimiko's hand tightly._

 _Kimiko grinned one last time before her body started to go limp. Her expression smoothed out and she sighed, the grips she had on Hanzo and Genji's hands loosening._

 _Genji choked on a wail, setting Kimiko's hand down and turning to launch himself into Hanzo's embrace, the two brothers holding each other and crying for their lost mother._

 _/_

"My father arrived not too long after that. It was the first time I saw my father cry. I remember him holding us and not leaving our side, even when the paramedics arrived. He never even got to say goodbye…"

Genji's voice was raw with grief, his eyes burning as he held back tears. The memory hurt, even now. He bit his lip, refusing to cry no matter how much he wanted to.

Zenyatta was quiet for a while, letting Genji gather himself before speaking. "Oh Genji," He coaxed the other into a sitting position before pulling him into a tight hug. "I know you don't want pity, but I would be lying if I said I don't feel some amount of pity. However, I wish to thank your mother. Without her, you might not be here. She truly was a wonderful woman, I admire her and the sacrifices she made to keep you and your family safe."

Laughing softly, Genji shook his head and smiled. "You know, I really think she would've loved you, if you guys met." Letting out a shuddering sigh, Genji closed his eyes and breathed through his nose. "Do you think… We can just go to bed now? I'm kind of drained."

"Of course," Zenyatta stood up and helped Genji pull back the blankets, the two of them climbing under. Zenyatta's orbs floated to settle on the floor, one of them diverting and instead going to the light switch. It hit the button, shrouding the room in darkness.

Genji moved closer, wrapping his arms tightly around Zenyatta. The Omnic ran a hand up and down Genji's back comfortingly, the whirr of his fans soothing Genji.

"Thank you for telling me, Genji." Zenyatta whispered.

Staring at the monk in the dark, Genji gave a small smile he knew Zenyatta could see. "Thank you for listening."

Zenyatta leaned in, pressing his faceplate to Genji's forehead in a kiss. "I'm always here to listen to you. Always."


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Thank you for reading and for your comments!

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When Genji awoke the next morning, his eyes stung and his throat felt raw. But, despite that, he felt… Lighter. Genji's chest didn't feel constricted and he wasn't depressed. Usually when he remembered that night, he'd be a grouchy, sulking mess for a few days. Yet right now Genji felt at peace and he knew that some of it had to with Zenyatta. However, maybe talking about that night helped even more.

Genji yawned, looking towards the object of his attention. Zenyatta was on his stomach, head turned towards Genji. He lifted his hand up to touch the side of Zenyatta's faceplate. His tattoo tingled and for once, Genji didn't supress his Dragon when in the presence of Zenyatta. The skin along his back tingled and the serpent appeared, no longer an outrageous size. The solid Dragon purred, settling against Zenyatta's back.

The new weight must've woken Zenyatta, for his body tensed and his fans picked up speed. Genji watched as Zenyatta roused himself, his head tilting up once he was fully awake.

"Morning." Genji smiled.

Zenyatta hummed, "Good morning, Genji."

Chirping, the Spirit pushed its head against Zenyatta's face. It too was demanding a good morning from the monk.

Giggling, Zenyatta shifted so he was now holding the green Dragon on his chest, his fingers running along the scales delicately. "And a good morning to you as well."

Genji watched Zenyatta pet and coo at his spirit for a while, simply enjoying the blissful feeling he was sharing with the green beast. However even Genji was in the mood for attention. He hadn't kissed Zenyatta in over a week and that could not go on any longer. He grabbed the Dragon by its scruff, tossing it towards the foot of the bed, not really caring if it landed properly or not. From the offended squeak and thump, the Dragon indeed did not land on the bed.

In one quick move, Genji was leaning over Zenyatta, one arm supporting his weight. He grinned down at Zenyatta, "Where's my good morning kiss?"

Zenyatta laughed and leaned up, placing a kiss to the tip of Genji's nose. "There. Good morning, Genji."

He knew Zenyatta was teasing him, his tone made it obvious. But even if it made Genji laugh under his breath, he still wanted a proper kiss.

"What was that thing you said to me a while back? ' _If you plan to kiss me, I would appreciate it if you did it properly_ '?"

He wagged his eyebrows at Zenyatta, closing his eyes and pursing his lips expectantly. Zenyatta chuckled, reaching his arms up to wrap them around Genji's neck. He acquiesced, tilting his head and pressing his faceplate against Genji's lips.

Genji hummed into the kiss, his free hand resting on Zenyatta's hip. The kissing was slow, sweat. But Genji and his ever present libido slowly started pushing for more. At first Genji was slow, testing to see if Zenyatta would request for him to stop. He didn't want to push his boundaries, especially with something like this.

But Zenyatta didn't offer any complaints, especially when Genji's lips started making a trail down his neck. Zenyatta produced an artificial sigh, tilting his head back and giving Genji more access. Genji's lips danced over the wires and nodes of Zenyatta's neck, tongue darting out to trace the path his lips made.

The soft sounds Zenyatta made only spurred Genji on further. He moved slightly, placing his leg between Zenyatta's and running his hand up Zenyatta's side and caressing the exposed area of Zenyatta's chest. He bit lightly at the sturdier parts of Zenyatta's neck and got a gasp of surprise in response.

Zenyatta shuddered, unconsciously rocking his hips up against Genji and groaning. "O-oh…!"

A deep purr rumbled in Genji's chest and his hand went back down, hooking under one of Zenyatta's legs and lifting it. He coaxed the leg to wrap around his waist, his hand rubbing up and down Zenyatta's thigh reassuringly.

"Mmm." Zenyatta placed a hand to Genji's cheek, lifting his head and kissing him.

The kisses were hot and messy, Genji trailing his tongue along Zenyatta's mouth seam. In response Zenyatta would send out his little shock kisses, numbing Genji's tongue pleasantly. He shivered, groaning at the way Zenyatta's other hand trailed up into his hair and pulled lightly on the strands. He bucked his hips, rutting his growing erection against Zenyatta's clothed frame.

"Ah!" Zenyatta arched into the feeling, his body tensing. His own hips rocked against Genji's, the pleasant friction driving the ninja mad. He licked his lips, dragging his teeth along Zenyatta's jawline.

"G-Genji," The Omnic sounded breathless, his voice box producing a static-like sound.

"Mmm?" Genji hummed, hand sliding towards Zenyatta's abdomen, intent on untying the sash around his waist.

Zenyatta struggled to find words, his fans whirring loudly. It was hard to sort his processors in order to form words, especially with the way Genji was teasing the sensors on his neck. But that feeling of discord was growing in the air and seemed rather hostile. "Y-your Dragon!"

"What about it?" Genji was only absentmindedly paying attention. He was too busy indulging in the sounds Zenyatta was making and the way his body felt rocking up into Genji's. For all he cared, they could forget about the oddly quiet serpent.

However it became apparent that no, Genji couldn't ignore it. With a fierce, angry growl, his Dragon landed on his back and bit his ear, yanking on it harshly. Genji yelped, pulling away from Zenyatta and following the tug on his poor ear.

"Ow ow! Let go!" Genji snapped, reaching for the Dragon. It let go of his ear, snapping at his hand and biting into the soft flesh. Another cry and Genji was trying to fling the beast off his hand. "You stupid worm!"

' **Do not throw me away again, Sparrow! Especially when you plan to ravish the monk! Least I take off a finger!** ' The beast snarled in Genji's head, glaring heatedly.

He glared right back, even when Zenyatta sat up and wrapped his hands around the Dragon's long torso. While Zenyatta scolded the scaled serpent for biting, Genji was still fuming.

' _You couldn't have waited like, I don't know, an hour?! It was just getting good! And now the mood is gone_.' If it wouldn't have been detrimental to him, Genji would've killed his Dragon.

Rolling its eyes, his Dragon tipped its head back and licked the side of Zenyatta's faceplate. His beast looked smug as Zenyatta chuckled, if the toothy grin it flashed Genji was anything to go by. He couldn't believe this. He was competing for Zenyatta's attention with his Dragon. A manifestation of his spirit. Essentially he was competing with himself.

"You little-," Genji growled, making a grab for the Dragon. It stuck its tongue out at him before disappearing. From the tingling in his back, Genji knew it returned to his tattoo like a coward.

Zenyatta shook his head fondly, leaning in and kissing Genji's cheek. His scowl instantly gave way to surprise, quickly morphing into a smile. He turned back, kissing Zenyatta in return.

"We should probably get up…" He mumbled against the Omnic's faceplate.

"Indeed."

"And I should get changed."

Tilting his head in a smile, Zenyatta traced his fingertips over Genji's hand. "Would you mind lending me a pair of clothes? I'm afraid all of my clothes are being washed and I do not wish to wear the same pair of robes in the span of two days."

Genji raised a brow and smirked, "Oh really? All of your clothes are being washed? Down to the very last pair of socks?"

"Why of course."

"Are you positive?" Genji pretended to be sceptical.

In turn, Zenyatta gave his own aloof response. "I have no clue what you're insinuating Genji. Would you think I would lie about such a thing?"

Gasping, Genji placed a hand to his chest. "I would never insinuate such a thing!"

The two kept quiet for several seconds before they delved into incessant giggling. Genji got up, stretching his body and earning a few pops from his back and shoulders. Humming, Genji opened his closet and began digging through his clothes.

"Shorts work for you?"

Zenyatta climbed off of Genji's bed, moving over to stand a few feet behind him. "Yes, that's fine."

Genji handed him a green tank top and black shorts, diving right back in for his own pair of clothes. "You can change in here. I'm gonna head to the bathroom and take a quick shower."

Nodding his head, Zenyatta waited for Genji to leave the room with his bundle of clothes before he began changing. Once he was done and had his robes folded neatly, Zenyatta glanced around the room. He had never been in Genji's room before so he took this chance to study everything he could. Needless to say, this room truly represented Genji. From the posters on the wall to the scattering of some clothes on the floor, everything radiated Genji's presence.

He filed everything into his Genji folder, having to place it in a sub-folder under the label " _extra_ ", as it had nothing to do with Genji's likes, dislikes, his personality, etc. Zenyatta had accessed Genji's file frequently when he was away, often playing his saved memories before bed and sometimes dreaming of the exuberant man. It was a little embarrassing how often Genji's folder popped up in his access logs.

But Zenyatta wouldn't deny that he missed Genji. After the first two days, Zenyatta had been caught sighing up a storm and daydreaming about Genji. Mondatta had been the first to catch on, unsure what was bothering Zenyatta. It was amusing to see Mondatta fumble over the proper words to say. Very rarely did Zenyatta see the leader of the Shambali at a loss for words. Then again, Mondatta didn't really have any experience in relationships, so he struggled to find the proper words to reassure Zenyatta.

Instead of trying to find placating words, Mondatta settled on asking Zenyatta if he and Genji would like to join him for meditation when they get back. Zenyatta had been so happy that his brother wished to get to know his boyfriend that Zenyatta had completely forgotten about his sadness. Though it did come back, it was barely noticeable since he had something to look forward to.

When Genji came back to the room, a cinnamon bun stuffed partially into his mouth and a plate of them in his hands. At Genji's entrance, Zenyatta exited his files and looked up, chuckling at the sight. He sat up from the edge of the bed, setting his clothes down and moving over to Genji.

"You are going to cause a mess if you eat like that." He chastised softly.

Genji held the half-eaten roll and swallowed his mouthful, licking his lips and grinning flirtatiously. "Then you can punish me if I make a mess."

Zenyatta stiffened, a small plume of steam leaving him. Genji laughed at the sight, even when Zenyatta hunched his shoulders and half-heartedly hit his arm.

"Oh you are insufferable." He shook his head, failing to stifle his laugh. "Maybe some other time. For now, I have something I'd like to ask you."

It felt like his stomach was doing flips at Zenyatta's laugh, though he chocked it up to just being hungry. "What is it?" He asked, stuffing the rest of his roll into his mouth.

Zenyatta hummed and lifted his hand, using a finger to wipe at some of the glazed cinnamon at the corner of Genji's mouth. "Mondatta wanted to know if you would like to join us this morning for meditation. My internal clock says that it is nearing the time of our usual morning meditation session."

Swallowing his mouthful, Genji caught Zenyatta's hand in a lose grip and grinned. "Sure, sounds like fun." He leaned down, licking the glaze off of Zenyatta's fingers.

Once again Zenyatta was thankful he couldn't blush like humans could. Otherwise people would mistake him for a red stoplight with how often Genji made him flustered. Trying to curb down the feeling that jolted through his systems and caused a pleasant tingle across his limbs, Zenyatta cleared his voice box and retracted his hand, inclining his head towards Genji.

"Alright. Shall we go? You can take your food as well, you must be hungry."

Genji chuckled and nodded, following Zenyatta from the room and towards the guest house. Eventually Zenyatta, Mondatta, Genji and Hibiscus were sitting in Mondatta's room. Genji and Hibiscus sat across from each other, Mondatta and Zenyatta on either side of him. They were putting a pause on meditating, waiting for Genji to finish his breakfast.

"So if you don't mind me asking, what was it like at the Viscaria Parlour?" Genji eventually asked, unable to stand the silence.

Hibiscus and Mondatta seemed surprise, the two sharing a look. Turning back to Genji, Hibiscus crossed her arms over her chest and cocked her head to the side.

"How do you know about the parlour?" Her tone wasn't hostel, it was merely curious.

"Ah, I told him. Though it was mostly about my time at the parlour." Zenyatta hummed.

Mondatta's gaze snapped towards Zenyatta, "Your time there? About…?"

The silent question made Hibiscus stiffen, her relaxed posture turning agitated. Genji noticed her hands clench into fists and vaguely wondered what it was that caused such a reaction from her.

"No, I didn't." Zenyatta laid a hand on Hibiscus' shoulder, waiting for the tension to leave her before he continued. "I told him about the naming, tattoos, and the kinds of dances I did."

Genji was thoroughly confused and he was sure his face gave that away. Zenyatta looked at him, sensing Genji's befuddlement. He shook his head, almost as if to say " _don't ask_ ". Even though his curiosity was growing, Genji pushed it to the back of his mind. If Zenyatta wanted him to learn about whatever it was Mondatta had mentioned, then he would tell Genji.

"Well for starters, we were all experienced in different dances. Our programming had been uploaded with the memory of every dance that would involve our area." Mondatta explained, humming softly. "Zenyatta specialized in ballroom dances, as he may have told you. My area of expertise was lyrical and ballet. And as for Hibiscus, she-"

"I did Salsa, Jive, and Cha Cha!" Hibiscus cut in, waving her hand enthusiastically. "I was made specifically to handle fast-pace dances, so I was quite popular! But the human partners I would dance with tired out too easily, so I usually had Omnic partners instead!"

Mondatta sighed, "Anyways, there were specific themes each night. Because of that, different dance styles would take place every day. However there were some exceptions to this rule."

Once again Hibiscus cut in, "It was because there were different floors! The ground floor was dedicated to the restaurant and keeping up with the nightly themes. But the upper floors had their own themes and, if you were in the mood for a specific dance that wasn't being shown that night, you'd go to that floor. The basement was the only area open to the public in the mornings. It was where lessons were held to teach humans the dances! Zenyatta was a teacher since not many people came to see ballroom dancing while they were eating. Oh! And the floor I worked on? It was awesome! It was a lounge-kind of room, red chairs, a bar table and a real swing-club feel."

Genji hummed, rubbing his chin as he tried to imagine the club. "Sounds interesting!"

Mondatta huffed, "The floor Hibiscus worked on was always the rowdiest. It had sound-proof walls and still garnered noise complaints."

Laughing, Genji licked the remaining glaze from his fingers, setting the plate to the side. "So why'd you guys leave, if you don't mind me asking?"

Hibiscus and Mondatta turned to look at Zenyatta, their posture visibly tensing. Zenyatta, on the other hand, remained relaxed and kept his tone calm. Though Genji knew from spending time with Zenyatta that his movements were a bit stiff.

"There was… An accident involving one of the employees. You see, the parlour had poor security measures. Often times the Omnic employees were mistreated. Sometimes even the few human employees were treated badly. Usually the managers tried to tackle the issues, but the higher-ups preferred cutting corners to save money. Keep in mind this was a few years after the Omnic Crisis… So tension was still lingering."

"At the time of the incident, we had only been ' _alive_ ' for 5 years." Hibiscus mumbled, her personality oddly subdued, but the anger in her tone was blaringly obvious. "We were still ignorant of the world, all of us. We didn't know any better and we trusted too much. They can pump as much knowledge as they want into us, it doesn't matter. Downloaded knowledge doesn't make up for lack of personal experience."

"Hibiscus." Mondatta placed his hand on hers, squeezing it. "Hush."

Zenyatta also placed a comforting hand on Hibiscus, "It's fine, it's in the past now."

Genji was growing more confused and concerned by the second. "Hey look, if it's a painful topic, I don't need to hear about it! I know how much it hurts to bring up painful memories…"

Shaking his head, Zenyatta retracted his hands and placed them in his lap. The mala around his neck didn't move, as he was keeping up the appearance to Mondatta that Genji didn't know he could make them move. But it was a posture Genji was familiar with, it was what Zenyatta did when he was centering himself.

Taking a deep breath, he continued at his slow pace. "Two of the employees, a human and an Omnic, formed a relationship with each other, a romantic one. They had tried being subtle about it, but it was apparently very obvious that they were a couple. Back then, laws had already been put into place for Omnic rights. Specifically the ones about treating Omnics like property and assaulting them. There wasn't anything on Omnic-Human relationships because no one had addressed the matter at the time."

It made sense if Genji thought about it. Only a few years after the Omnic Crisis where people were still suspicious of Omnics? Of course no one would even think that a human could have a relationship with Omnics. So the relationship between the two employees was probably frowned upon.

"As you could probably guess, for all the beauty of the parlour, it was still an illegal business. Omnics were being bought and made to work without pay, which was against one of the newer laws. Yet still, the Viscaria Parlour continued to run. They would do whatever they could to keep the media away from the parlour. Yet… the Omnic-Human couple ended up changing that." Here Zenyatta hesitated, his shoulders hunching.

"A few of the customers who still felt bitterly about Omnics and thought of them as less… They didn't like the relationship. It started out with simple threats written on the back of napkins or cards. But when the relationship showed no signs of stopping, things escalated. I was never sure why they attacked the human and not the Omnic. Maybe they felt disgusted at their fellow kind for picking something made of metal…"

He let out a sigh and the tension left his body just as quick as it appeared. "The human was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was severely wounded, put in critical. Apparently his heart stopped a few times while under surgery to save his life. Eventually he made it out ok… But by now the media was exposing the parlour for what it was. This was the catalyst that got it shut down and all the employees let go.

"Hibiscus, Mondatta, and I had nowhere else to go, so we wondered around with a few of the Omnics from the parlour. As much as it displeased Mondatta, Hibiscus would gamble in order to earn enough money for us to move around as often as we did. Yet the more we moved around, the more Omnics we lost. They picked for themselves to stay and make a life on their own instead of living like nomads."

At here, Mondatta politely cut in. "I can continue from here, brother." He cleared his voice box, sitting up straighter. "Then one day I received a vision of an Omnic leaking an ethereal aura. From them I learned of the Iris and its teachings over the course of a year. They pointed me and my siblings in the direction we needed to go in. Hibiscus and Zenyatta supported my visions throughout the entire thing and eventually, they too came to see the Iris in their dreams. We reached the monastery depicted to me by the Iris, high up in the mountains of Nepal. It was abandoned, dust collecting everywhere and other creatures residing in it. At this time, we had been 'free Omnics' for merely two years. The people in the village ignored our existence, even as we began cleaning up the monastery."

Hibiscus seemed calmer than before, her bubbly personality showing up once again. "It took another three years before Mondatta felt he had all of the Iris's teachings. So by this time, we'd been alive for 10 years. More mature and wise about the world for sure, but still naïve. We had thought the humans would leave us alone, but what we didn't know was that they were extremely curious. They had been sending people up to the monastery just to take a sneak peek at what we were doing.

"Eventually people started to show up, question us and what we were doing. Mondatta, ever the public speaker, managed to tell them what we were doing and about the Iris. Before we knew it, people kept coming back to hear more of the teachings! In the end we decided to be the ones to head down and teach, as the winter months weren't the best for humans, especially in Nepal. Mondatta and Zenyatta, they decided to leave their parlour names behind and embrace new names. Me, I kept my name because I never wanted to forget where it all started."

Zenyatta then took over, "Before we knew it, two years had passed and our monastery was visited by many different kinds of people. There were Omnics that wished to join us and even a few humans as well."

At that bit of information, Genji cocked his head to the side. "You have humans in the Shambali? Are they still at the monastery?"

Mondatta hummed and nodded his head, "Of course. A few of our brothers and sisters stayed behind in order to take care of the temple while we are away."

"Ah, I see. Makes sense." Genji leaned back slightly, backtracking over the information he had just been told. "So I'm guessing you guys started giving speeches since word had gotten out about the Shambali monks? Does that mean you guys have been public for about… 8 years?"

"That sounds about right." Hibiscus confirmed.

"Well I think it's amazing," Genji gestured towards the three monks. "What you guys are doing, everything about it is pretty cool. It… Really helped me notice some things."

He momentarily thought about Naoki and his Omnic boyfriend, then he thought of his previous ignorance and how he had unwittingly contributed to hating on Omnics. But Genji had changed, he was a different person. Maybe not entirely, but he was getting there. He was slowly changing his previous mind-set and striving to be a better person.

Mondatta chuckled, his head shifting in a way that Genji knew was a small smile. "I am pleased our words have managed to shed some light on things." He took in a deep, unneeded breath and let it out slowly, straightening his posture. "Now then, shall we start our meditation?"

There was a few mumbles of confirmation as everyone settled comfortably. They ended up meditating for an hour before Genji had to leave for training. Once he was done with Hanzo, his brother had brought up something Tobikuma had mentioned to him.

Apparently Tobikuma wanted to go fishing at one of the lakes up the mountain. But before Genji could even agree, Hanzo had given him a look and said: "Make sure to invite Zenyatta as well."

Now Genji wasn't sure if it was Hanzo or Tobikuma's idea, but he wasn't exactly complaining. So Genji invited Zenyatta to join his family up their trip to the mountain. Of course Zenyatta was more than happy to agree. He apparently had never gone fishing before, so he was more than excited for it. They were supposed to go the day before Genji and the other monks took a two hour flight to the next city they were giving speeches at. They'd be gone from the complex for around three weeks, driving to the nearby towns and cities for the long trip.

The day of the fishing trip came gradually, Genji and Zenyatta spending he days leading up to it together whenever they weren't busy. Genji was currently loading the fishing gear into the car when Tobikuma approached him, his usual yukata replaced for a pair of cargo shorts and a t-shirt.

"Ready to go?"

"Yep!" Genji grunted, shoving the last bag of gear in and slamming the trunk closed. "That should be everything."

Tobikuma nodded, though his mouth was pulled into a deep frown. He watched Genji, seeming to be appraising him with a critical eye. It made Genji confused and a little uncomfortable. He raised a brow, waiting for his father to say whatever was on his mind.

Shaking his head, Tobikuma smiled lightly and placed a hand on his son's head. "Never mind. Hurry up and retrieve Tekhartha-san, we'll be leaving soon." He punctuated his statement by ruffling Genji's hair.

The young Shimada squawked, ducking his head and avoiding his father's hand. "Oto-san!" He huffed, trying to smooth out the black locks.

Tobikuma merely smiled and rolled his eyes, leaving Genji's side in order to get in the car. Genji's pout morphed into a fond smile, one that lingered as he went to go and retrieve Zenyatta. He was looking forward to this outing. It'd be the first time Zenyatta would be around Hanzo and his father in a non-formal setting. It was exciting, to say the least. Genji could only hope it went well.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Fanart of Hibiscus was drawn! Since FF HATES outside links, you can check it out on my AO3 account!

Also, to **CA3E**! Thank you very much for the compliment! And the whole playboy thing is generally based on the canon info on Genji. He was said to peruse a playboy lifestyle rather than take part in his family's affairs. As for my upload times, I really don't have any. I update sporadically, completely random! I could update the same story multiple times in one week, or it'll take me two weeks to just get one chapter out! I never really bothered to keep a consistent update time since it would just put me off from wanting to write :'D

(on a side note, if you do leave comments here, would you guys like for me to respond to them in the next chapter? I'm more than willing to!)

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 _"Masayuki, please explain your reasoning for what you just told me." Tobikuma's eyes were hard, his posture rigid._

 _One of the Elders, a man by the name of Masayuki who had a hooked nose and a permanent frown, sniffed and stuck his nose up in the air. "It is just as I said, Lord Shimada. I mean no disrespect, but you must see that your youngest child is a liability to the clan!"_

 _"We all feel this way." The elderly woman next to him huffed, eyes narrowing. "He is a threat to everything we've built up."_

 _Hanzo tensed, glaring at the Elders from where he sat. He and Tobikuma were in a meeting with the Elders and from the very start, the five wrinkly old bats were ranting about Genji. However, as much as Hanzo wanted to defend his brother's honour, he was merely an observer in this meeting. Until he became Shimada head, his only job was to sit back and watch his father's actions. His voice had no weight until he took over as the family head._

 _Tobikuma kept his expression neutral, "That is not an explanation."_

 _Masayuki huffed, clicking his tongue. "He has proven himself to be quite troublesome. Sneaking out, sleeping around, among other things! Who knows what else he's gotten into! And we have no way of knowing what he might've said to those he hangs around. For all we know, he could have told them the business dealings, or worse! He could have spoken of the Shimada Dragons."_

 _The Elders were all related to the Shimada family, but they were only cousins, parts of the family that branched off. None of them were a part of the main branch, none of them had Dragons. But that didn't mean they were unaware of their existence. As said, everyone in the Shimada family were aware that the main branch controlled Dragons. It left many of the other branches jealous, for they could never be rulers of the Shimada clan. Only a Shimada can control the Dragons, but not every Shimada was able to._

 _Tobikuma raised a brow, "Are you suggesting that my son has spoken of the family secrets to outsiders?"_

 _Masayuki huffed, a permanent scowl on his face. "I am merely assuming the worst, Lord Shimada. Of course there is no way to prove he has revealed secrets. I am simply putting the good of the Clan in the forefront of my mind. And for the good of the Clan, I suggest you deal with your son! He's a risk that will bring the Shimada name crashing down with him!"_

 _Hanzo bit back a snarl, Hikaru and Akira hissing angrily in the back of his mind. His tattoo burned from their combined rage, their demand to lash out and defend their brother's honour. How dare these humans slander Genji's name like they had the right._

 _As if sensing his son's darkening thoughts, Tobikuma placed a hand to his shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly._

 _"Genji hasn't caused any problems since the monks arrived. Their influence on him has been exemplary. If anything, his personality has improved for the better."_

 _One of the Elders, someone Hanzo knew wasn't a total asshole like the others, spoke up. He kept his head bowed respectfully, a wistful look on his face._

 _"But for how long?" Interlocking his fingers, the man looked up at Tobikuma, "Say that the monks are a good influence on Genji, that their presence is keeping him in line. What happens when they leave? Will Genji continue acting properly, or will he go right back to what Masayuki and the others fear? A threat to everything the Shimada clan has built up."_

/

Tobikuma shook off the memory of that meeting, just remembering the words brought a sour expression to his face. Of course he was worried that Genji would go right back to his promiscuous ways once the monks left. Hell, Tobikuma had never expected something like this to happen. For his son to date one of the monks, for his son's Dragon to approve of said monk. It was… Unthinkable. It left Tobikuma dreading the day Zenyatta left, for it would surely effect Genji and his spirit.

Closing his eyes, Tobikuma took a deep breath and pushed those thoughts from his head. Now was not the time to be thinking of such things. Now was the time for peace and relaxation. Though… It was kind of hard to relax with all the splashing and yelling.

Opening his eyes, Tobikuma sighed as he watched Genji and Hanzo splash water at each other, throwing insults with each wave. They were out in the lake a good distance from shore, the water reaching just above their waist. Genji had been the first to strip of his shirt and launch himself off the dock and into the water. Hanzo had been reluctant, but after some egging from Genji and a challenge being issued, the elder of the two eventually went in after his brother.

Tobikuma had moved to the dock and set up his fishing equipment, Zenyatta sitting in one of the folding longue chairs next to him. The two were covered from the sun by a large umbrella, the dock having specific latches to hold such a thing up. While the boys played in the water, Zenyatta and Tobikuma fished. Since Zenyatta had never fished before, Tobikuma had showed him the ropes until he got the hang of it. He had made sure to explain that Zenyatta needed to keep a tight grip in the pole, for a caught fish might just yank it out of his hands. Though thanks to the Shimada heirs roughhousing in the water, it didn't look like they'd catch anything.

"So, Tekhartha-san..."

"Zenyatta is fine," The monk said warmly.

Nodding his head, Tobikuma cast his fishing line out into the water again. "Then please, call me Tobikuma, I insist."

When Zenyatta agreed, Tobikuma reclined in his chair and continued speaking. "Tell me, what do you like about Genji?"

Zenyatta took a moment to pause, figuring out what he should say. There was so much about Genji that Zenyatta could talk about. From the way he smiled to how warm and excitable he could get. There was just so much Zenyatta wanted to say that he couldn't even find the words for it.

Finally he managed to speak, though after a very pregnant pause that had Tobikuma looking at him. "Well, there's just… So much. Genji is amazing, from how he acts when he thinks no one is watching to how he acts around others. He's a very dedicated person and a hard worker. When he first meditated with me, he would get distracted over every little thing. But he kept trying, not willing to give up on mastering meditation. Though he falters still, Genji is able to meditate for a minimum of two hours before he gets antsy.

"And I admire his quick thinking and how he can find the brighter side in any situation. He isn't willing to give up, even if it means going against authority. If he thinks something is wrong, Genji will speak up about it. Though he can get stubborn on matters and it becomes quite difficult to change his mind on things. Sometimes he becomes to rash and acts without thinking, but his impulsiveness can be charming at times. Genji cares very deeply for those he finds important. I think he would do anything to keep them safe, no matter the cost."

Zenyatta hunched his shoulders slightly, flustered at how much he rambled. Hoping to cover up his embarrassment by reeling in the fishing line and casting it out again, the ruffled Omnic waited patiently for Tobikuma's response.

Chuckling under his breath, Tobikuma shook his head a little fondly. He could clearly see that Zenyatta cared a great deal for Genji. Cared enough to study his character and some of his flaws. It was a bit… Relieving to know that there was someone who cared about Genji outside of the family.

Humming, Tobikuma nodded his head slowly. "Genji takes after his mother quite a lot. She too was quite stubborn on matters, but family meant more to her than anything. She did everything to protect her family, even at the cost of her life…"

"I admire lady Kimiko very much. Genji had told me the story of her passing and what kind of person she was. Though I may not know her personally, from the stories Genji told me, I can see the similarities." Zenyatta mumbled, catching Tobikuma's attention once again.

Genji had spoken to Zenyatta about that night? Tobikuma was, to put it bluntly, shocked. Genji had bottled up everything he felt that night and refused to talk about it. He did not talk to Hanzo, Tobikuma, or even the therapist Tobikuma had hired. Genji had kept a tight lid over it and snubbed every attempt at talking about the night they lost Kimiko. Eventually Tobikuma and Hanzo had stopped inquiring about it, as it got them nowhere and only put Genji in a bad mood. So to hear that Genji finally talked about it to someone after all these years… It was jarring. But then Tobikuma remembered that a part of that story involved Kimiko's Dragons. There was no way to avoid talking about it without raising questions. Narrowing his eyes, Tobikuma frowned gravely.

Before he could ask, Genji was calling out Zenyatta's name and waving excitedly. In his hand was a crawfish, held proudly up in the air.

"Zen, look! I caught a crawfish! It's huge!"

Zenyatta chuckled, waving in response. "Do not shake it around too much, Genji! Or it might snap at you with its claws."

But it was too late, for not a moment had passed before Genji was yelping and jumping around, flailing his arm wildly in order to dislodge the crustacean. Hanzo made lunges for Genji's hand, yelling at him to hold still while he tried to yank the thing off.

Despite his smile and the warm chuckles leaving him, Tobikuma still managed to have a cold and guarded tone. "How much did he tell you of that night?"

Zenyatta didn't seem surprised at the question, or if he did, he didn't show it. Instead he leaned back in his chair, drawing his fishing line in a bit before letting it settle again. "You will have to be more specific, Tobikuma-san. To tell a story, it would be strange to leave something out."

Sending a calculating look Zenyatta's way, he frowned. "Sometimes a story needs to leave things out, things that are better left unsaid."

"True, but sometimes when you are so immersed in a story, you forget to omit things."

Glancing at Tobikuma, Zenyatta chuckled at the rather fierce look he was being given. Holding up a hand, Zenyatta settled his laughter before speaking. "Forgive me, I do not mean to make light of the situation. I realize that you are speaking of a specific moment, are you not? Some part of the story that you believe should not be shared with others?"

"Because it shouldn't. Only a Shimada can know of such things. And you, monk, are not a Shimada." Tobikuma knew his words were harsh, but he was right. It was a secret closely guarded and Genji might have possibly told someone about it. That was not only the worst thing imaginable, but it also meant that Zenyatta was now a liability. He was in no ways tied to the Shimada clan other than being Genji's boyfriend. But once he left for Nepal, there was nothing keeping him from telling anyone about the secrets of the Shimada clan.

Zenyatta tilted his head to the side, "I understand, Genji also stressed the matter to me as well. I promised him I would tell no one and in return, I gave him a few of my secrets as well. But you must understand, Genji had no intention of telling me anything."

"What do you mean?"

Sighing, Zenyatta reached a hand up and touched the mala around his neck. "I have… Spiritual capabilities. They grant me a lot of pros and cons, one of them being the ability to sense the spirit of others. I can sense any discord they might hide in their soul and sometimes, if the negativity is strong enough, I can pinpoint it and give it a concreate name. The same works for any harmony I might feel from a person.

"But with these spiritual abilities, I unintentionally sensed something within Hanzo and Genji that I had no intention of seeing. I truly mean it when I say that I have no idea how to turn this ability off and I never had a reason to try. So when I sensed… Their spirits, I was shocked. But I didn't ask about it, for it wasn't any of my business. But then I came back from the week-long trip and well," He shrugged, "His spirit couldn't contain itself."

Tobikuma groaned, running a hand over his face. He suddenly felt far older than he should, which was saying something. "So it was completely by accident?"

"Indeed."

Well it did make sense since Genji's Dragon had been forcing itself to summon that entire week. If he thought about it, Tobikuma could assume that Genji's beast had been testing a theory. It wanted to see if it could leave Genji's body by its own choices. The elder Shimada internally cursed, the Dragon had been planning to reveal itself, but for how long?

Tobikuma had to pause his thoughts so he could shout at his sons who were causing another ruckus. "Genji! Don't try and stick a crawfish down Hanzo's pants!"

"I wasn't gonna!" Genji yelled back.

"Liar!" Came Hanzo's snarl.

There was another loud splash and yelling, but Tobikuma was already turning his attention back to Zenyatta. "So, what will you do with this information?"

"Nothing." Zenyatta hummed, "I promised Genji I would not utter a word of this to anyone. Though I may have broken that rule by discussing this with you…"

Tobikuma sighed, waving a hand dismissively. "Well it doesn't matter now. I know you know, so it would seem that you now have another person to talk to about this. We're in the same boat, you and me. When I first met Kimiko's Dragons, it was mind-blowing and terrifying. We had been dating for three years and I had every intention of staying with her. Then one day she drags me into a closet and says if I intend to marry her, I have to accept all of her. She then shows me Hoshiko and Ryuu. It might not have been my most… Proudest moment," At this Tobikuma coughed into his fist to hide his embarrassment. "But I did not faint."

Zenyatta chuckled and placed a hand to his faceplate. "I must say, you had a far better introduction than I did. I opened Genji's door and the next thing I knew, a green Dragon is hurtling towards me and taking me off my feet. I had thought my optical sensors were malfunctioning until it hit me. I am often grateful that my face cannot change expression, for I was panicking very much until Genji explained it to me."

Tobikuma laughed loudly at that, "I can say that my experience was better."

He was being soft, he knew that more than anything. Tobikuma was always lenient when it came to Genji and he knew he would continue to do so. Zenyatta made Genji happy, losing Zenyatta would no doubt hurt Genji in some way. Tobikuma couldn't do that, not to his little Sparrow. So no, he wouldn't do anything to harm Zenyatta. He wanted to trust this monk, so he would allow him to live. He was allowed to make this decision, he was the head of the Shimada clan. And, somewhere in his heart, Tobikuma knew that if Kimiko was still alive, she would agree with his choice.

Their attention was diverted to Genji who was swimming to the dock, his grin wide. "What're you guys laughing about?"

Zenyatta hummed, easily covering up the topic on Dragons. "We were talking about how we could spend all day out here and catch nothing but water and a few sticks."

Brows creasing, Genji frowned in slight confusion. Hanzo swam up next to him, just as confused as Genji. "You haven't caught anything?"

"Well when two grown men are trying to drown each other and out-splash the other, it usually scares the fish off." Tobikuma drawled, staring pointedly at his two sons.

Hanzo had the decency to look a little sheepish as he mumbled a quick 'sorry' under his breath. Genji, on the other hand, simply raised a brow. His eyes darted off to the side and, if Zenyatta didn't study Genji's face often, he might've missed the twitch at the corner of his mouth. It was almost like he wanted to smirk, like he had thought of something and was extremely proud of it. However, the smile he flashed the two on the dock was deceptively innocent, not at all a conniving smirk. Then again, the saccharine look was no better.

"Alright! We'll go splash around over there!" Genji said cheerily, shoving Hanzo's shoulder and swimming away from the dock. Hanzo rolled his eyes, following after his brother.

Once they were out of hearing range, Tobikuma sighed. "He's plotting something."

"Ah, so I wasn't the only one to notice." Zenyatta chuckled.

Tobikuma grimaced, slightly afraid for what his son might be scheming. He could only hope it wasn't over the top and they'd leave the lake with little-to-no injuries.

As the silence ticked on, Tobikuma and Zenyatta eventually began to relax. They would reel their lines in and toss them out, but still no fish were caught. Tobikuma was beginning to think today's fishing was a lost cause when Zenyatta's fishing pole jerked.

"Oh!" The monk gasped, gripping the handle tightly and reeling in with some effort.

Tobikuma sat up straighter, watching Zenyatta reel in a rather large fish. By the time he had set it on the dock, the fish was already flopping weakly. Tobikuma quickly went to work on unhooking it from Zenyatta's line. Any fish they had caught today was to be dinner when they got back to the compound. Tobikuma had begun to think they'd have to order out, but looks like that wasn't the case!

However, once he had the already dying fish off the hook and in his hands, Tobikuma noticed something… Odd. On the fish's side were a clear indention of teeth marks, almost as if something had bit onto the fish.

"Is something wrong?" Zenyatta asked, kneeling next to Tobikuma.

Chuckling, the elder Shimada sighed and showed Zenyatta the fish. After a quick study, Zenyatta's voice box sputtered as if he was trying to hold back a laugh.

Tobikuma shook his head fondly as he put the fish in the bucket next to them. "Wonder what could've caused that." He said sarcastically, fitting a worm on the end of Zenyatta's line.

"Such a mystery." Zenyatta agreed, casting the fishing line out into the water again.

Over the course of an hour, they managed to get eight fish, each one larger than average. But there were a few things about these caught fish that stood out. For one, they had a set of bite marks, some with multiple. And for two, all of them were caught by Zenyatta.

Once they were loading everything into the car, Genji and Hanzo trudged over to them, Hanzo squeezing the water from his hair as he walked.

"So did you guys catch anything?" Genji asked, smiling a little too brightly.

Snorting, Tobikuma rolled his eyes, nodding to the bodyguard that had been napping in the driver's seat. The man nodded back, starting up the car.

"Yes, however only Tekhartha-san did. So thank him for your dinner."

"Eh?" Genji's brows rose in surprise.

"Thank you," Hanzo dipped his head to Zenyatta, the monk chuckling and waving his hand.

"It's fine, thank you for allowing me to join you on your family trip." Hanzo hummed, taking the towel his father handed him. He then climbed in the car as he dried off.

Genji frowned, "Wait, Oto-san you didn't catch anything?"

"I didn't." Tobikuma tossed Genji's towel, the green fabric hitting him in the face.

Sputtering, Genji pulled the towel off so it wasn't obscuring his vision. "W-well that sucks! Maybe next time?"

Tobikuma merely hummed, a knowing smirk dancing across his face. Rolling his eyes, he sat in the passenger's seat, buckling up. Genji and Zenyatta were the last to enter the car, Genji scowling as he dried his hair.

' _You were supposed to put fish on **both** of their lines so they wouldn't be suspicious_!' He scolded his Dragon, the serpent mentally glaring at him and turning its nose up in the air.

Though it didn't use words, Genji knew it was saying something about taking priorities and providing food for its desired mate. Genji might not understand a handful of the things his Dragon says, but Genji knew what that meant and it made his mood darken.

' _Zenyatta is no one's "mate" and he's certainly not ours_.'

' **Don't try and lie to me, boy. I am you and you are me. There's nothing we can hide from each other.** ' His Dragon was growling and Genji had half a mind to growl right back.

' _That's because there's nothing to hide! Zenyatta's not our mate, this is all for the bet. Get that through your thick skull and stop pretending it's something different_.'

Genji was snapped from his defensive thoughts by a hand on his shoulder. Looking to the side, Genji felt warmth blossoming in his chest. Zenyatta was giving him a smile and the mala around his neck were shifting slightly, barely noticeable unless one was as close as Genji was.

"Thank you both for the fish." Zenyatta whispered softly, leaning in and placing a kiss to Genji's cheek.

Genji blushed and he instantly felt the ire of his Dragon quell. Choosing to ignore the spirit and the words it had said, Genji grinned at Zenyatta and returned the kiss.

"Anything for you." He replied, taking Zenyatta's hand in his.

Yeah… Anything.

/

" _Are you sure you have everything you need_?" Tobikuma asked, standing in Genji's doorway as he watched his son pack.

" _Yeah, think so. If not I can just buy whatever I need while I'm over there_." He hummed, trying not to bounce in excitement. He stuffed his phone charger into his duffle bag, his Dragon making a mental "check" on the items they'd need.

' **Like lube and condoms. We can buy those**.'

Genji choked on his own spit, hitting his foot against his drawer and yelping. He lifted his foot, hopping in place. He let out a string of curses, willing the flush in his cheeks to go away.

Casting a hesitant glance over at his father, Genji was met with an unimpressed look and a raised brow.

" _Should I ask_?"

The young Shimada quickly shook his head no, blushing further. He cleared his throat, zipping up his bag and throwing it over his shoulder. " _W-well I'll be going now! I'll be sure to call you once we reach the airport and when our plane lands_."

Tobikuma nodded slowly, taking a moment to stare at Genji before opening his arms. Genji quickly moved to his father, accepting the hug and squeezing the elder man tight. Tobikuma pat his back, the grip around his son just as strong as always.

" _Be safe, Genji._ "

" _You too, Oto-san._ "

The same style of farewell was said to Hanzo, though with a few differences. Hanzo still hugged Genji, but he was the one that demanded updates on Genji's whereabouts and his wellbeing. As Genji pulled away to get in the car, he could almost say that Hanzo looked apprehensive. After all, this was the first time Genji would be going so far from the compound without his father or brother accompanying him.

Genji flashed his signature grin, "Try not to get grey hair from worrying too much!"

"Try not to get yourself killed by being stupid." Hanzo shot right back, his worried look melting into a smirk.

Gasping in fake offence, Genji placed a hand to his chest. "Me, being stupid? When have I ever done something that could be called 'stupid'?"

Deciding not to answer that, Hanzo turned his attention to Zenyatta, the monk having been loading the bags into the trunk of the car. He waited for Zenyatta to close the trunk before speaking up.

"Tekhartha-san, please keep an eye on Genji."

Zenyatta straightened, moving to Genji's side and nodding. "I promise to keep him out of trouble."

"I don't!" Hibiscus cut in, having appeared seemingly out of nowhere as she slung an arm around Genji's shoulders and pulled him down to her level. "We're going to get drunk, go clubbing, order room service, I'll even pay for the hookers!"

Genji snorted, "Aren't you in a relationship?"

Hibiscus froze for a second, then she began rubbing her chin in thought. "Hmmm, you're right. Oh! I got it," She snapped her fingers, "I'll just have Juliet pretend to be a hooker! A little roleplay in a relationship is always hot. I wonder if they sell any nice outfits around our hotel…"

She was silent for a moment longer, both Genji and Hanzo trying to hide their snickers from her antics while Zenyatta tried to ignore what his sister was saying. He sent a quick prayer to the Iris that Hibiscus was only joking. They didn't need another incident of her going into an adult store again and causing a fuss. It was only by sheer luck that they managed to hide such a thing from Mondatta and the other monks the first time.

"Oh! Maybe they'll have discounts. Buy one get one half off or something. Hey Zenny, how do you feel about wearing fishnets?" Hibiscus asked, leaning slightly to look at her brother.

For the second time that day, Genji choked on his own spit. Though this time his blush was because he couldn't get the idea of Zenyatta in fishnets out of his head. He had to mentally force himself to not linger on the thought, or any other thoughts of Zenyatta in suggestive outfits.

Zenyatta made a sputtering sound, his voice box popping and steam leaving him in his embarrassment. "Hibiscus!"

"Hey! We're starting to leave now! Are you guys ready?" One of the monks shouted from the car he was standing next to.

Hibiscus waved at him, "Just about!" Turning her attention back to the little group, she made a clicking sound, finger gunning Hanzo. "Later, lord Shimada. Bye, Genji, see you at the airport!" To Zenyatta she merely patted his cheek before quickly scrambling away, somehow finding Juliet and instantly sticking herself to the tall woman.

Hanzo blinked slowly, feeling like he experienced something he wished to bleach from his mind. Shaking his head, he cleared his throat. The best option was to pretend like that had never happened, at all.

"Well, you'd best be leaving. Remember, call me when your plane lands. And don't get into any trouble."

Groaning, Genji rolled his eyes, "I got it!"

His brother smirked, enveloping Genji in a tight hug and sighing. " _Just come home safe…_ "

Genji only hesitated a moment before he was hugging his brother back. " _I will. You stay safe too. And keep an eye on Oto-san._ "

Hanzo pulled back, nodding his head before stepping away. He said a quick goodbye to Zenyatta before watching them climb in the car. Hanzo then moved over to join his father who had been bidding Mondatta a farewell. The two Shimada's stood there, watching the cars leave the compound.

"It'll be very quiet the next three weeks. I'm almost overwhelmed thinking about how much work I'll be able to get done." Hanzo said.

Snorting, Tobikuma turned around, heading back into the compound; but not before ruffling Hanzo's hair with his hand. "You'll start missing him in two days, maybe three."

Hanzo huffed, trying to smooth out his hair while keeping his scowl. When Tobikuma was out of earshot, Hanzo let his hand drop in order to trail his fingers over his tattoo. His Dragons purred in response, giving him some form of comfort.

"I already miss him, Oto-san…"


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Ahem... Soooooo no use beating around the bush? This chapter has smut :^) I really really don't know if it's any good. I've never written smut between Genji and Zenyatta before. Really what I'm saying: "I have experience writing smut, I just never wrote smut between an Omnic and a human". So yeah... /shrugs/ if it ends up being bad, then it ends up being bad :'D If you aren't really interested in reading the smut, then you can just skip from "When Genji glanced back down" to "Warm hands ghosted down his back". This is a really important chapter as it marks the halfway point! Maybe! In my head it does, anyways :u But yeah, thanks for reading and thanks for your compliments and comments! Hope you enjoy~

* * *

"Once we get set up in the hotel rooms, we will have the remainder of the day to relax. Please stay with a group and do not stay out for too long. We will be getting up early tomorrow, after all." Mondatta spoke, standing on the steps leading into the fancy hotel so he was easily seen by the crowd of monks.

They all gave their various sounds of agreement, filing into the hotel in an orderly fashion. They would be sharing rooms in pairs of two, as the rooms booked only had two beds. Genji didn't say anything, but he knew some of those beds weren't going to be occupied. After all, Hibiscus planned on sharing a bed with Juliet. And Genji was hoping to share a bed with Zenyatta. But for some reason renting a room with two beds was cheaper than a single bed. He didn't understand the marketing, but then again he wasn't in the hotel business.

"You two!" Hibiscus pointed a finger at Zenyatta and Genji once they got their room key. "Meet me and Juliet down in the lobby right after you're done! And make sure to wear something comfortable!"

The couple shared a look, Genji expressing enough curiosity on his face for the both of them. They looked back at Hibiscus, Genji giving a sceptical "ok?"

Seeming satisfied, Hibiscus tracked down Mondatta and gave him the same order. While Hibiscus tried to convince Mondatta to listen to her, Genji and Zenyatta went with a few of the other monks up to the elevator. As they filed out onto their room floor, Genji unlocked their door and held it open for Zenyatta.

"What do you think she has planned?" He asked after closing the door behind them.

Humming, Zenyatta sat his suitcase on the edge of a plush bed, opening it up and taking out a crop top and cargo pants. "Probably something interesting. On the flight here, she had tapped into the plane Wi-Fi in order to look at all the nearby attractions."

"So we might be going to a theme park?"

Zenyatta shrugged, "Maybe."

The conversation ended there as Zenyatta slipped into the bathroom to change. Genji felt he was in comfortable enough clothes, so he didn't bother to change. Instead he laid on the bed not occupied by Zenyatta's bag and began going through his phone's notifications. He ignored texts from Jiro and a few of his old hook ups, intending to maybe respond to them later. Though he would be turning down the ones asking for some "fun time", as Genji had no interest in sleeping with any of them. He did send a reply to Naoki's text though and he did shoot a text to Hanzo and his father, letting them know he was fine.

His father and brother responded just as Zenyatta was leaving the bathroom. A quick glance showed that Hanzo's response was a simple " _be safe_ " while Tobikuma's was a repeat of that, only it had five emoji's of smiley faces right after. It was always so hard for Genji to imagine his father sit there and logically think that five-plus emoji's was the way to respond to things. However he and Hanzo never complained or brought it up. After all, the two boys know where he picked up the habit from.

One time as kids they had been with their father, waiting for their mother to return from a business trip. They had been staring over Tobikuma's shoulder as he texted Kimiko, the Shimada leader sending responses quicker than Tobikuma could type them. Each of her messages were usually jam-packed with different kinds of emoji's, usually smiling ones or those cute animals. At one point she had even downloaded custom Dragon ones and refused to leave them out of the messages she sent to Tobikuma. It was obvious that Tobikuma and Kimiko only texted each other, as Kimiko explained to a young Genji that texting the Elders of the clan wasn't exactly proper in a business sense. Even now, Genji knows his father only texts him and Hanzo. And Tobikuma doesn't really delete his text messages; he still has messages Hanzo sent him three years ago. So it was safe to assume that he also had saved all the messages Kimiko had sent him.

"Shall we head down?" Zenyatta asked, pulling Genji from his thoughts. The monk made sure to have his mala float and settle on the bed. He'd have no use for them currently, so there was no need to carry them on their little outing.

Smiling warmly, Genji offered his arm for Zenyatta to take. Together the couple made their way down to the lobby. Juliet was already sitting in one of the waiting chairs. She had on a tank top that did well in showing off her thick arms, the woman not even needing to flex in order to display her muscle. To go with the top was some well-worn jeans and a pair of army boots.

Sitting happily on her lap was Hibiscus, the Omnic wearing a loose knee-length skirt that was pulled up in the front by buttons and made to have a trailing tail in the back. Her white turtleneck was designed to have a cleavage window, though the only thing ending up exposed was some of her chassis and her flower tattoos.

"Hey, we ready to go?" Genji asked, him and Zenyatta standing near the other couple.

"Waiting for Mondatta."

Just as Hibiscus said that, Mondatta exited the elevator. He was dressed in slacks and a button down, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Genji was a little shocked to see him in something other than his monk robes.

"Is that what you call comfortable clothes?!" Hibiscus asked as she scrambled into a standing position.

Mondatta didn't seem at all fazed by her reaction. He merely crossed his arms over his chest, "What is comfortable for me is not comfortable for you, Hibiscus."

She snorted, rolling her head since she had no eyes to roll. "Fine, whatever! Let's just get going!"

Grabbing Juliet's hand and linking her arm with Mondatta's, she dragged the two of them towards the entrance. Zenyatta chuckled, glancing at Genji and tilting his head towards them.

"Well, shall we go?"

Genji grinned, nodding his head and leading Zenyatta after the excited Omnic. Hibiscus refused to tell them where they were heading, but it was obvious she was pumped for it. She would cackle maniacally and rub her hands together, reminding Genji of those villains he'd see on those old cartoon shows. She was just as enthusiastic as them with her movements. Though if she truly did want to play the villain role, Genji had no doubt she'd probably be more adept than the ones in the shows.

"Here we are!" Hibiscus exclaimed with a flourish, standing in front of their little group with her arms spread wide.

In front of them was a large building attached to an even larger greenhouse. At the front of the building was a sign dubbing the structure as the local botanical garden. People were walking in and out of the building, children clinging to their parents, dates walking hand in hand, etc.

Genji whistled, eyes roaming over the large dome of the building. He craned his neck to catch a glimpse of the greenhouse. It was hard to see anything through the glass other than green.

"A garden?" Mondatta tilted his head, the question clear in the inflection of his voice.

"Not just any garden!" Hibiscus placed a hand to her hip, raising a finger skyward. "The local botanical garden here is known for their wide array of plants, ranging from rare and exotic, to indigenous and completely mundane. Their flowers and plants are genetically engineered, much like the Sakura trees at the Hanamura compound. These plants are designed to be in season longer than their natural counterparts. Not only that, but there are large sections of this place dedicated to keeping the necessary temperature for the plants to grow! From a winter climate for the Daphne Bholua to a summer climate for the Glory Lily! And good news for us! We arrived in the blooming season!

"Not only that, but the entrance fee is cheap and, for a few extra coins you can buy a pin! Now you may ask, ' _oh glorious and wise Hibiscus, what are these pins for_?'- Well I'll tell you my sweet summer child! With these pins, you're able to select one flower in the huge garden! That flower will be picked by one of the many staff and then pinned to your clothes, like a living souvenir! So I thought, why don't we get our flowers? Orchid, Hibiscus, and Lotus? And then Juliet can get a Hibiscus flower because we're dating and then Genji can get a Lotus! Mondatta, I am currently unaware on your relationship status, so if you have someone in mind you want to give a flower to, don't let me stop you." She ended her longwinded speech with a giggle, puffing her chest out proudly.

Genji blinked, taking a moment to rub his forehead. "Why do I feel like I was just sold something?"

Mondatta ignored the last part, the Shambali leader crossing his arms over his chest. "Is this why you were chackling like a deranged person on the plane?"

"Maaaybe," She twirled around, "But that doesn't matter! We're here, we're queer, and I've got my money to spend! I'll get our tickets! Mondatta, I'm still going to get you an extra pin!"

She wasted no time in scampering off, practically skipping with each step. Juliet sighed loudly, shaking her head slightly.

"I will keep an eye on her…"

Soon Genji, Zenyatta, and Mondatta were left outside. Mondatta still seemed unsure, his hands crossed over his chest and his head tilted in what Genji interpreted as a frown. Zenyatta glanced at his brother, reaching out to lay a hand on his shoulder.

"Come now, I'm sure it will be fun. Besides, Hibiscus wasn't exactly wrong…" His amused tone had Genji raising a brow.

Mondatta sighed, glancing up at the sky and shaking his head. "Iris, please give me strength."

As he walked into the garden, Genji and Zenyatta followed at a slower pace. Genji bent his head down to whisper to Zenyatta, keeping his eyes open for anyone that may eavesdrop.

"Wait, so Mondatta has someone he's dating?"

Zenyatta poorly held back a snicker, his hand coming up to rest against his mouth seam. "Not dating. But word has it he might have a crush on the head of our security division."

Genji's eyes widened, "No way!"

Holding up a finger in a hush-hush motion, Zenyatta was openly giggling now. "Yes, but you did not hear this from me!"

Once inside, Hibiscus was already distributing the pins to everyone in their little group. Juliet was holding onto one of Hibiscus' hands in a secure grip, keeping the Omnic from leaving her side.

"Where to first?" Mondatta asked Juliet who was holding a map.

She grunted, managing to look over the thing while still keeping a grip on her eccentric lover. "Local summer garden, it's the closest on the left."

Juliet handed Mondatta the map, letting him lead the group since he didn't have anything to keep a tight hold on. Juliet bent down slightly, whispering something to Hibiscus. Genji watched in fascination as Hibiscus instantly stopped bouncing and instead seemed to settle down. She nodded fervently, gluing herself to Juliet's side and nuzzling her in a love-struck manner.

He snorted, only slightly wondering what Juliet might have said. But the thought was kicked from his mind thanks to his Dragon. The green beast decided Genji had more important things to focus on. Like how cute Zenyatta looked in his crop top, or how the sunlight filtering through the windows washed Zenyatta in a beautiful array of colours.

As they moved through the exhibits, Genji enjoyed looking at the wide selection of flowers and plants growing. Some of the fruit trees they passed had a free sample booth set up, a nice lady running it and greeting everyone with a smile. Apparently throughout the garden, if there was a bush or tree growing fruit, there would most likely be a booth offering free samples of the fruit. The same could be said for vegetables, though the only ones being offered were pre-cut ones, as some of the vegetables grew a little too big to consume casually.

Mondatta was the first to pick his flowers, the Phalaenopsis' growing in a cluster of different colours. Hibiscus suggested getting the colour that matched his tattoo, so Mondatta requested two white and pink orchids. One was pinned to his button down, the other he held gently in his hands.

The next to get their flowers were Zenyatta and Genji. Since they wanted to pin the lotuses to their shirts without any trouble, Zenyatta and Genji settled on getting simple lotus buds rather than the full grown flower. Zenyatta selected a red lotus bud for Genji and a pink one for himself. Hibiscus and Mondatta both chuckled at the choices which seemed to fluster Zenyatta. Genji made a point to look up the colour meanings later on when they weren't busy.

As they continued walking and looking at the many plants growing, they eventually reached the large greenhouse dedicated to the tropical plants in need of a humid environment. Of course not all of the greenhouse was dedicated to these plants, only a section. But it was still large enough that plenty of people could fit in. There were clusters of humans and Omnics mulling about, each minding their own business. Overhead music was playing throughout the area, as it had been for every room they had entered.

Genji watched as Hibiscus made a beeline for her flower, Juliet following dutifully. Together they both had tropical hibiscuses pinned to their shirts. But just as they were making their way back, Hibiscus seemed to get an idea. She let go of Juliet's hand, saying something to her before turning back around and going to the staff member that had just helped them.

Juliet came back, face as blank as ever. But Genji could tell she was curious over Hibiscus' actions. The four of them watched Hibiscus and the staff member talk, the former gesturing to the ceiling of the greenhouse. The staff member seemed a bit putout, but they bit their lip and sighed in defeat. Nodding their head, they pulled out a walkie-talkie and spoke into it. Hibiscus bounced excitedly and turned around, facing their little group but only stepping forward a few feet.

"Oh dear," Zenyatta said when he realized what she was doing.

Mondatta sighed, he too understanding the moment the song changed. He shook his head in a fond manner, holding his extra orchid out towards Genji. "Hold this for me, please."

Genji raised a brow in question, but he took the flower pin. He also pulled out his phone and began recording. The young Shimada had a feeling something fun was going to happen, and his instincts were rarely wrong. As Mondatta stepped forward, he and Hibiscus began to look as if they were going to have a showdown. Then the beat of the music began to start and the two humans of their group understood what was happening. They were going to _dance_.

Hibiscus gripped the edges of her skirt, tossing them back to give a little flare as she made the quick steps forward, hands raising to mimic the quick movements of her legs. Mondatta followed the actions, however his hands were raised in order to clap to the beat. People stopped what they were doing, watching the two Omnics start out the dance.

"Salsa," Zenyatta hummed, "Hibiscus' favourite."

"I didn't know Mondatta knew Salsa. I thought he only knew Lyrical and Ballet?" Genji only took his eyes off the dancing pair in order to look at Zenyatta.

"Well after we left the parlour, there was nothing stopping us from learning other dances." Zenyatta chuckled.

"Ah, makes sense!"

They watched as Hibiscus and Mondatta spun, somehow knowing where the other would end up so they could come together and continue off the fast pace. It looked like the whole thing had been rehearsed a hundred times, but Genji knew it was only a spur of the moment kind of thing.

He noticed Zenyatta was practically bouncing where he stood. His excitement was palpable and Genji felt himself grinning. He nudged his boyfriend in order to get his attention. Once Zenyatta was looking at him, he flicked his head towards the dancing duo who were gaining a crowd.

"Why don't you go join them? You know you want to."

Zenyatta glanced back at Mondatta and Hibiscus, the two having switched the roles. Now Hibiscus was doing the male steps, Mondatta the female. Zenyatta fiddled with his hands nervously, looking back at Genji.

"Are you sure?"

Genji gave him an encouraging smile, "Yeah! I'll be here cheering you on!"

Hesitating for a moment longer, Zenyatta nodded and then briskly walked forward. He waited for an opening before skilfully taking Hibiscus' hand, spinning her out of the way, and then cutting in. Instantly the dance style changed the moment Zenyatta started leading the dance. Mondatta fluidly followed, again giving the impression that the whole thing was planned out.

Zenyatta had switched the dance to a samba, the steps fluid like the salsa, but not as quick. Hibiscus didn't seem at all angry that Zenyatta had cut in. If anything, she looked beyond happy about it. She cheered, jumping up and pumping a fist into the air, stumbling a bit from landing awkwardly. By now the crowd around them were clapping and also cheering, excitedly watching the three Omnics dancing.

Genji glanced down at his camera, making sure it was still recording. He was so going to send this to Hanzo and his father, bragging about how awesome Zenyatta was. And Naoki! Genji was definitely going to send it to him so he could watch it with his boyfriend.

It seemed the staff wanted to keep the excitement up, for when the song ended, another dancing-themed song began playing. However as Mondatta led Zenyatta in an array of spins, they were cut in by Hibiscus. Like Zenyatta had, she instantly changed the style of dance.

Gripping Zenyatta's hand and waist, she pulled him close and began leading him in the steps of a tango. Hibiscus pushed back and they released each other, but that wasn't where it ended. Mondatta moved forward and both he and Zenyatta moved to Hibiscus. They had switched it to a three person tango almost flawlessly.

Throughout the dance they would switch who would play the female role. It was almost hard to even notice the switch until it had already happened. Sometimes two of them played the female role, sometimes all of them did, and sometimes none of them did. They kicked and twirled, pretending to try and upstage the other. When the dance came to an end, they all twisted in a spin and locked hands, raising them up in the air.

The crowd cheered and even a few of the watching children were trying to mimic the dances. Hibiscus giggled and clapped her hands, throwing herself at her brothers and hugging them tightly. They returned the hug and then made their way back to Genji and Juliet.

Genji stopped recording and pocketed his phone, giving Mondatta back his flower pin. "You guys were amazing!" He exclaimed.

"Truly beautiful." Juliet murmured, kissing Hibiscus' forehead.

Mondatta was waving a hand to his face, his fans whirring quite loudly. "I haven't danced like that in ages."

Zenyatta chuckled, humming warmly when Genji wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him closer. Genji nuzzled the monk's cheek, his Dragon purring inside his head. The green beast was extremely proud that his choice mate was such a skilled dancer. And, just this once, Genji let the spirit call Zenyatta his mate. If he was being honest, it filled his chest with a very addicting kind of warmth.

"We need to do that again!" Hibiscus laughed, throwing her arms around Juliet's neck and leaning in to kiss her. "Though after we teach our Shnookums the steps. That way they can cut in too."

Juliet raised a brow, "I doubt I can move like that."

Hibiscus waved a hand dismissively, "Under my tutelage you could!" Her attention then snapped to Genji, pointing a finger at him. "You recorded it right?"

Grinning, Genji pulled out his phone. "Yep!"

Throughout the garden walk, Genji had been taking photos. From photos of the flowers to photos of their little group. Genji may have taken a lot more of Zenyatta, but a chunk of those were selfies with the Omnic! So far though, his favourite photo was the selfie he took of him and Zenyatta showing off their lotus pins.

"Oooh oh! Get a photo of all of us now that we have our flowers!" Hibiscus waved a hand excitedly.

After switching the phone to camera mode and politely asking someone to take their picture, the five of them huddled together and presented their flowers towards the camera. As Genji retrieved his phone and showed the group the picture, he found himself thinking that maybe this one was actually his favourite photo.

Genji sent the photos and video to Juliet, who thanked him in that polite way of hers. Then collectively they exited the garden and made their way back to the hotel. Already the sun was setting and bathing the surrounding area in a golden glow.

"Genji, would you like to come with me to the buffet?" Juliet asked as they entered the hotel lobby.

He blinked, "Food sounds so good right now." His stomach seemed to agree, for it decided then to practice its whale call.

Snickering, Hibiscus kissed Juliet on the cheek. "You enjoy your food, my squishy human. I'll see you in the room."

Genji was also given a kiss, though it was by Zenyatta, thankfully. Nuzzling Genji's cheek slightly, he hummed. "You two go and eat your fill. I will be up in the room."

To anyone it might've seemed like Zenyatta was referring to Juliet and Genji. But deep down in his bones Genji knew Zenyatta was referring to him and his spirit. And the Dragon loved the attention. It was practically oozing delight at the fact that Zenyatta continued to include it when talking to Genji. It was hard not to let his Dragon's emotion wash over his and seep throughout his body.

Grinning, he returned the kiss and nuzzle. "Alright. I'll try not to stay gone for too long."

They parted ways, the three Omnics going up to their rooms and the two humans heading to the hotel's dining area. They stayed down there for about an hour, eating and drinking to their hearts content. Conversation flowed freely between the two, not at all stilted and awkward like Genji had thought it would've been. Turns out that when Juliet had something she was passionate about, she could talk for quite a while about it.

The two of them took an elevator up to their respective rooms before parting ways. As Genji entered his room, he noticed Zenyatta sitting on the bed in a meditative pose. He felt a warm smile blossoming over his face at the sight of the Omnic and unpinned his lotus bud, setting it on the desk next to Zenyatta's.

"Was the food good?" Zenyatta asked after a moment, the chiming of his orbs filling the room.

Genji hummed in confirmation, kicking off his shoes and tucking them under the desk. "Real good. The wine was great too. Though a bit buttery? I have no clue how they managed that." He chuckled, turning around and walking over to Zenyatta.

"That does sound rather strange. I don't believe I've ever heard wine be described as 'buttery' before."

The young Shimada crawled his way onto the bed, gently moving some of the floating mala out of the way so he could get closer to Zenyatta.

"Yeah, well I'm just really great when it comes to giving unique descriptions." He kissed the monk, working his lips along Zenyatta's faceplate and trailing down to his chin.

Zenyatta sighed lightly and tilted his head in response. "Is that so?" He asked, voice falling to a breathy whisper.

Slowly Zenyatta fell backwards onto the bed, Genji practically melding himself to Zenyatta and sticking close. He kissed along Zenyatta's face and ran his hands up the Omnic's sides.

"Mmhmm." Genji hummed his response as words seemed to be failing him.

Rocking his body against Zenyatta, Genji was extremely pleased when Zenyatta responded and arched up into him. His voice box created a soft gasp and the grip he had on Genji's shirt collar tightened.

Suddenly a sound broke through the heated atmosphere. It was Genji's damn phone. The custom, dramatic ringtone could only belong to his _darling_ brother Hanzo. He tore his lips from Zenyatta's faceplate with a wet pop. Genji growled and yanked his phone from his pocket. He glared at it and ignored Hanzo's call before dropping his phone on the bedside table.

When Genji glanced back down at Zenyatta, he felt a pang of arousal shoot through him. Zenyatta was lying on his back, one hand settled on Genji's forearm the other resting near his head. His mala were struggling to hover properly, the orbs dropping before floating sluggishly back up. His chest was heaving as if he couldn't get enough air, which was silly because Zenyatta couldn't get breathless.

Genji swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. Though the mood was slightly ruined, his Dragon was urging Genji to continue. Before he did anything, Genji had to be sure this was ok.

"Do you want to stop?" He asked, licking his lips.

Zenyatta tilted his head in a smile and chuckled. He leaned forward so he could rewrap his arms around Genji's neck. Zenyatta pulled him back down to the bed and kissed him long and hard. Genji could say his breath was completely stolen by Zenyatta's actions, but that could also be because he actually couldn't breathe.

As if sensing Genji's lack of oxygen, Zenyatta pulled away and giggled. He placed a kiss to Genji's cheek, humming.

"No, I do not wish to stop," He settled a hand on Genji's cheek, "Though don't forget to breath throughout it, ok? I would be very disappointed if you passed out halfway through."

Genji blushed furiously and sputtered in indignation, "W-what?! I wouldn't pass out! If anything, it'll be you who passes out from how good I make you feel!"

Zenyatta chuckled at Genji's pout and flashed his boyfriend a smile. "Of course, I expect nothing less from someone with so much ambition."

Huffing in mock anger, Genji renewed his efforts to make Zenyatta unable to say anything but his name. Of course he didn't rush right into it and strip the both of them. That was uncouth and Genji wanted Zenyatta to enjoy this. Though when Zenyatta's fingers danced against his stomach and started sliding his shirt up, he wasn't against stopping in order to yank it over his head.

Genji let Zenyatta's hands explore over his body, tracing the dips and grooves. The both of them snickered when Genji jerked slightly as those deft fingers danced over his ribs.

"Ticklish?" He asked teasingly.

"Yes," Genji said solemnly, "But I trust you not to use this information against me."

Tilting his head, Zenyatta hummed as his hands smoothed over Genji's pectorals. "I'll keep that in mind."

Grinning at the playful tone, Genji raised a brow in mock challenge. "Oh? That wasn't a promise, how suspicious."

"Genji," Zenyatta placed a hand over his core, "Are you saying you don't trust me? A harmless monk?"

He pursed his lips and hummed, "If I recall correctly, you aren't exactly harmless." He then plucked one of the mala struggling to stay afloat. "These definitely hurt."

With a flick of Zenyatta's hand, the mala floated away from them and settled on the other bed. Genji watched them make their trek before looking back down at Zenyatta. Flashing his usual smile gesture, Zenyatta placed his hands back along Genji's forearms.

"There, now I am utterly defenceless."

At that Genji snorted, "I doubt that, but I'll leave the topic alone. I've got more important things to focus on anyways."

"Oh? Such as?" Zenyatta asked coyly.

The grin he flashed Zenyatta was practically feral. "Like figuring out how to make you scream."

Turns out Genji truly had to work for it; Zenyatta had no intentions of making this easy. They were both stripped of their shirts, Genji already devoid of his pants. The kisses they swapped were heated and often Genji's teeth accidentally clacked against Zenyatta's faceplate. That did little to deter him, for he would then purposefully bite at Zenyatta's jawline and then at the pistons along his neck.

Zenyatta's hands clutched at Genji's upper back, his fingers digging in. Occasionally he would gasp, body twitching under Genji's skilful tongue. He would slide it over the sensitive wires he could reach and trail it along the sensors. Genji was always gentle with his hands and the treatment he gave every part of Zenyatta's body.

Kissing along his chassis and going lower, Genji's fingers worked between the exposed parts at Zenyatta's waist.

"Ah!" Zenyatta jerked as Genji stroked the sensors hidden there.

Turning his head and shuddering, Zenyatta groaned as Genji replaced his fingers with his mouth, his tongue licking the path his fingers made. He trailed lower and lower, hands resting along the edge of Zenyatta's pants. Before he pulled, he glanced up and waited for Zenyatta to look at him.

With fans whirring loudly and his hands gripping the sheets near his head, Zenyatta gave a shaky nod. With consent given, Genji slowly began pulling down Zenyatta's pants. He wasn't that surprised to see a pair of boxers hugging the Omnic, nor was he surprised to see an erection straining against the grey fabric. If Genji had to guess, he figured Zenyatta most likely had the work done for both sexual organs.

In a previous relationship Genji had with an Omnic, he had learned that it was quite common to get both a vagina and a penis. There were some who had preferences and only had one artificially made, but the bundle deal seemed to be more popular. Genji's assumption proved to be correct as Zenyatta did indeed have both. The folds leaking a clear- most likely water-based- lubricant was located just behind the penis, a bit away from where the testicles would be if Zenyatta were human.

Genji didn't stare for too long, knowing Zenyatta might get uncomfortable if Genji kept studying his body. Instead Genji continued the journey his mouth had been making. He kissed the base of Zenyatta's cock in warning before taking the tip into his mouth and lapping at the fluid already building up.

Zenyatta cried out, his body arching up into Genji's mouth. Placing a hand to the Omnic's hip in order to keep him still, Genji set to work on making Zenyatta come undone. He sucked and lapped at the silicone penis, keeping his eyes on Zenyatta and watching him with heated eyes.

Bucking up unintentionally, one of Zenyatta's hands found itself buried in Genji's hair. The grip wasn't tight enough to hurt, but it got across the fact that Genji was making Zenyatta' feel good.

Slowly Genji placed his free hand to Zenyatta's thigh, spreading his legs further with a simple nudge. Genji's fingers moved up to trace along the folds of Zenyatta's sex, causing another shudder to wrack his frame. When he received no protest from his lover, Genji licked his lips and slowly eased a finger inside of Zenyatta. He rubbed the finger along his inner walls slowly before adding another finger in. Genji was quickly growing addicted to the sounds spilling from Zenyatta's voice box. He wanted to know if he could pull more moans and cries from Zenyatta.

Without a second thought, Genji bent his head down and replaced his fingers with his tongue. Zenyatta cried out, his legs twitching and his other hand flying to hold Genji's head.

"O-oh! Genji!" He gasped, voice box popping at the end.

Genji spent a while longer eating Zenyatta out, lapping up the liquid that spilled from him. One of Genji's hands wrapped around Zenyatta's cock and began stroking it in time with his licking. He made sure to keep it slow and teasing, wanting to draw this out.

Zenyatta made a choked sound, tugging slightly on Genji's hair. "P-please, Genji…!"

At the plea, Genji gave one last fleeting kiss to both of Zenyatta's sexes before shifting to hover over the breathless Omnic. He watched as Zenyatta tried to piece himself together, the lights on his forehead burning bright.

He gave a lopsided grin, caressing the side of Zenyatta's faceplate. "Tell me what you want, Zen."

Clutching the hand against his face, Zenyatta squeezed it before letting his other hand slide down Genji's abdomen. He shuddered at the sensation of Zenyatta cupping him through his underwear, gently kneading his leaking erection. Groaning low in his throat, Genji bucked into the hand.

"Genji, I want you… Please." Zenyatta whispered, the Omnic leaning up so he could steal a kiss.

If Genji was a little too excited to hear that, who could blame him? His brown eyes flashed green and a growl ripped from his throat. He practically smashed his face against Zenyatta's, kissing him like a starved man. Genji expertly shuffled out of his boxers, wrapping his arms around Zenyatta's waist and lifting him up.

Making a sound of surprise, Zenyatta scrambled to hold onto Genji's shoulders as he was practically carried further onto the bed. Once his head was resting comfortably against pillows, Genji took his legs and spread them, slotting himself between them.

Genji was growing too excited, he needed to slow down and not rush this. Biting the inside of his cheek harshly, he sucked in a quick breath and closed his eyes. When he opened them again the green from his irises were gone and had faded back to brown.

"Zen, I-I might be a little rough. I can't promise I won't be. My Dragon-," He was cut off as Zenyatta cupped his face between his hands.

"Genji, your Dragon's spirit is yours. I know you won't hurt me intentionally." He rested their foreheads together, "I trust you to stop if I ask."

Hesitating only a moment, Genji nodded and began peppering kisses anywhere he could reach on Zenyatta's faceplate. He gripped Zenyatta's legs and coaxed them to wrap around his waist. Once his lover was secure, Genji held Zenyatta's hip with one hand while the other guided himself to Zenyatta's entrance. He waited another heartbeat before pushing in, keeping his slow pace till he bottomed out.

Genji groaned, gritting his teeth and shuddering. His heart pounded away in his chest as he struggled to keep his hips still. Oh how he wanted to pound into Zenyatta until he was a wrecked mess. He didn't have to decide who moved first, however. The back of Zenyatta's heel was nudging at Genji's lower back, urging him to move.

He got the message loud and clear. Using one hand to prop himself up, Genji began an unhurried pace of shallow thrusts in and out of Zenyatta. Apparently it wasn't enough, for Zenyatta made a whining sound and arched against Genji.

"P-please! Faster!" Hands ghosted over Genji's body, anywhere Zenyatta could reach.

Genji could listen; hell, if Zenyatta asked him anything with that voice, Genji would always listen. He leaned back and gripped Zenyatta's hips, pulling out almost all the way before thrusting right back in. He kept up the deep, fast thrusts, his grunts and pants matching up with Zenyatta's. Broken static sounds spilled from Zenyatta as he moaned and bucked into Genji's thrusts.

Falling forward, Genji supported himself on his forearms on either side of Zenyatta's head. He pounded into Zenyatta relentlessly, growling and moaning against his lover's neck. He bit and sucked at the nodes and pistons, tongue trailing up to trace some of the sensors. Zenyatta' inner walls clenched around Genji thanks to his ministrations, his head thrown back in another blissful cry.

The pace began to pick up, Genji and Zenyatta rocking into each other with a passionate fervour. Genji was now growling animalistically, his eyes flashing green and his tattoo practically burning. Never before had he allowed himself to perfectly sync up with his Dragon during sex. It was always risky, he never knew what would happen. But since Zenyatta was already aware of his Dragon's existence, he didn't have to worry about holding back.

Genji snarled against Zenyatta's neck and gave a few hard thrusts, chanting the Omnic's name like a prayer. Zenyatta groaned, scrambling to grab Genji's face and kiss him for all he's worth. Genji didn't complain, especially since he was leaving sloppy kisses all over Zenyatta's face.

He felt himself growing closer to his orgasm as they continued. Hoping to push Zenyatta as close as he was, Genji gripped the base of the Omnic's cock and began working it in time with his thrusts. Just as Genji felt himself falling over the edge, he felt Zenyatta tense under him. Throwing his head back and growling fiercely as he reached completion, his own moan was echoed by Zenyatta. Light seemed to erupt behind Genji's eyelids, almost a golden in colour. He slumped against Zenyatta and groaned, hips stuttering to a stop as he buried his face into the pillow next to Zenyatta.

Warm hands ghosted down his back, trailing through his hair and brushing along his neck. It was nice, soothing in a way. If Genji had bothered to lift his head up and open his eyes, he would've seen that the gold light was still in the room and that it was originating from his boyfriend. He would've also seen that Zenyatta was supporting a pair of 6 extra arms, each golden and transparent, but still tangible. They brushed along Genji's spine and mused up his hair, trailing patterns lovingly against his skin.

As Zenyatta sighed and Genji shifted, the ethereal arms disappeared and the lights on Zenyatta's forehead reverted from their gold hue back to their soft blue. Genji grumbled, lazily opening his eyes and staring down at Zenyatta.

"How was that?" He asked, words slightly slurred.

Smiling, Zenyatta cupped Genji's cheek and sighed. "Simply wonderful… Though I'm afraid I didn't pass out like you promised I would."

Pretending to pout at that, Genji slowly pulled himself out of Zenyatta. "Darn. Well then I'll just have to try harder next time."

"I look forward to it." Came the amused response.

Genji kissed Zenyatta's faceplate before climbing off the bed and retrieving a wet washcloth from the bathroom. He then returned to the bed and wiped down both of them, taking the time to clean Zenyatta inside and out. Once they were both clean and feeling less sticky, Genji climbed back into the bed and pulled Zenyatta close. He snuggled against the Omnic and sighed happily.

It took some shuffling, but eventually they managed to pull the blankets out from under them and throw them over their bodies. Now warm and tangled up in each other's limbs, they were ready for sleep. Zenyatta sighed, kissing the underside of Genji's jaw.

"Thank you for this…" He murmured.

Genji hummed, rubbing a hand up and down Zenyatta's back. "Anytime Zen, anytime…"

Silence reigned in the hotel as Zenyatta's fans slowed down to a nearly silent hum and the lights on his forehead dimmed considerably. Even with the cozy feeling and the desire to sleep, Genji didn't close his eyes. He was glaring over Zenyatta's head at the phone on his desk, the light flashing innocently indicating he had a message. Genji grit his teeth, eyes flickering down to Zenyatta's sleeping form and then back up to the phone. He hesitated, biting his bottom lip and holding Zenyatta closer.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Hey, on my AO3 I've posted a genyatta oneshot. I don't intend to post it here since I'm slowly peeling away from this site. I think I'll post oneshots over there from now on :u

* * *

Genji woke up feeling lighter than he had in days. He may have had deep impressions in his face thanks to the wires and pistons lining Zenyatta's waist, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. Genji cuddled closer to the warmth radiating from the hard body. He purred low in his throat and tightened the hold he had around Zenyatta's waist.

He had thought Zenyatta was still in sleep mode, so when fingers began running through his hair Genji was pleasantly startled. His purring grew louder as the petting continued. He leaned into Zenyatta's hand, humming in content. The darkness surrounding him shifted as Zenyatta lifted the blanket and looked under it.

"How on earth did you get like that in your sleep?" The Omnic asked in amused bewilderment.

Genji gave a single shoulder shrug and grinned. "Who knows?"

Zenyatta chuckled, "Well, would you like to come out from under there and give me a good morning kiss? Unless you'd rather not."

Without needing to be told twice, Genji shuffled up till he was out from under the blanket and pretty much lying atop Zenyatta, their faces inches apart. He grinned, lifting a hand to caress the side of his faceplate. "I'll never pass up the chance to kiss you."

They leaned in and kissed, a short and sweet connection. When they separated, Genji nuzzled Zenyatta and sighed in satisfaction. His tattoo tingled and his Dragon prodded at the edge of his conscious. Closing his eyes for a moment, Genji's shoulders relaxed as the numbing sensation spread around his entire back before fading. Now the purring was doubled, his Dragon settling on his back in a warm pile of noddle limbs.

Zenyatta reached over Genji's shoulder in order to run his fingers along the green Dragon's mane. "And good morning to you as well."

It purred, licking at Zenyatta's fingers before darting off of Genji's back and lying on the pillow by their heads. It purred loudly, nudging Zenyatta once it was comfortable. The monk chuckled and twisted so he could pet it easily. Genji watched the exchange with a lazy expression, his eyelids drooping as he prepared to fall asleep once again.

"Genji," Zenyatta spoke gently, placing a hand on Genji's hip and squeezing it. "No falling back asleep. We have to get ready."

"Don't wanna."

Zenyatta snorted in amusement as Genji buried his face against his neck. Lifting his hands to caress the back of Genji's head, the monk sighed.

"What to do…" He wondered aloud, "If you don't get up, then how am I to give you a kiss?"

Genji grumbled against Zenyatta's neck, "You can kiss me right now."

"Hmm…" Zenyatta pretended to think about it, "Nope, I refuse to kiss or cuddle you until you wake up." Placing his hands on Genji's shoulders, Zenyatta easily nudged him off and slipped out from underneath the man. Genji whined in protest and reached blindly for the Omnic.

Lifting his head up, Genji flashed his best puppy-dog eyes. He even jutted out his bottom lip in a pout to up the cuteness factor. "Please?"

Huffing near his head, Genji's Dragon lifted itself from its coiled position. It mocked Genji without words, giving him a pointed look as it floated towards Zenyatta who was pulling out his monk robes and putting on the layers. When Genji's Dragon nudged his shoulder, Zenyatta turned slightly and let out a soft sound of surprise.

He laughed and cupped the Dragon's jaw, gently pulling it closer. "Thank you for getting up." Zenyatta hummed and placed a kiss to its forehead. As he turned back to finish tying up his robes, the Dragon coiled around his shoulders.

Genji glared at the Dragon while it stared back with a shit-eating grin. Genji seriously hated his Dragon sometimes. Grumbling under his breath, Genji decided the best course of action was to not get up, but to sulk. He pulled the covers over his head and closed his eyes, soaking up the lingering warmth Zenyatta had left on the bed.

However before Genji could even consider getting comfortable, there was an extremely unwanted and enthusiastic pounding on the door. It was quickly followed by Hibiscus shouting, "Wake up lovebirds! I'm giving you five minutes to get dressed and out here before I decide to pick your lock and wake you up myself! So if you don't want your precious booty to be seen by me, then you'd better cover up! And don't forget your flower! If you do I'll make sure you regret it!"

He could distinctly hear Juliet scolding Hibiscus in a soft voice. Something about ' _disturbing the other_ _guests_ ' and ' _breaking into someone else's room being illegal'_. Hibiscus whined, but it sounded distant. Juliet was most likely escorting her down the hall so she couldn't cause any further racket.

Zenyatta chuckled and Genji felt the edge of the bed near his feet dip from the Omnic's weight. "You heard her. And knowing Hibiscus, she will go through with her threat."

Genji groaned but he did eventually get up. He dressed slowly, pouting the entire time as he put on his suit. Zenyatta watched him in amusement, his hand petting the top of his Dragon's head. When it came to Genji's tie, he suddenly stopped and hesitated.

"Hey Zen? Could you tie this for me?"

Tilting his head in a smile, Zenyatta stood and made his way over to Genji. As Zenyatta began tying the piece of fabric, Genji felt himself blush and his heartbeat pick up speed. It was a silly thing to get flustered about, but Genji couldn't help it. He specifically asked if Zenyatta would tie his necktie because it was something he remembered his father and mother doing for each other when he was younger. When Kimiko would be going to formal events for business, she would wear suits that matched with Tobikuma. Then they'd usually tie each other's necktie, simply because they wanted to. Though sometimes his mother would switch to wearing dresses if she felt like it, but that still didn't stop her from tying Tobikuma's necktie.

Genji would never forget the soft way his mother would smile when tying his father's tie, nor would he forget the way Tobikuma's brow would furrow in concentration as he tied Kimiko's. Though Zenyatta's face did not change expression, Genji could tell he was concentrating on making it perfect. It made Genji even more embarrassed and happy. He was sharing another moment with Zenyatta, even if it was completely insignificant to the monk. To Genji, it was an important moment.

When he was finished, Zenyatta looked up at Genji and flashed him another gesture of a smile. Genji returned it with a grin of his own and a kiss to Zenyatta's forehead.

"Thanks."

Before they left the room, Genji grabbed his phone and their flower pins. His Dragon dutifully returned to his tattoo just as he finished putting the pin on his suit and Zenyatta's on his robes. Before they exited the room, Zenyatta quickly summoned his orbs to lie dormant around his neck. They then made their way down to the hotel lobby where the Shambali monks were lingering around. Mondatta, who was patiently letting Hibiscus pin his orchid to his robes, informed Genji that he could go and join the security guards eating breakfast.

Genji left and got a simple meal before taking a seat across from Juliet. As he dug into his breakfast, Juliet subtly got his attention. Her eyes then flickered pointedly towards something over Genji's shoulder. When he subtly looked in that direction, he could see more of the security guards eating at another table. However, something about one of them caught his eye. The head of the Shambali security, a tall blond who felt the need to wear a pair of shades **everywhere** , was wearing an orchid pin. Or to be more specific, he was wearing the orchid pin Mondatta had picked out the other day.

Turning back around, he grinned at Juliet and tried to stifle his snickering. She flashed him a brief, barely noticeable smile. Genji could tell she was also having trouble holding back her own amusement. After that the two of them finished up their meal at relatively the same time. Which was surprising since Juliet had gotten her food before Genji. But then again Genji had practically inhaled his food while Juliet took her time eating, so that might've been the reason why.

Like usual, the entire speech was boring to sit through. Genji only paid attention for the first part, mainly because it was when Mondatta, Hibiscus, and Zenyatta were speaking. During the break, Hibiscus had set up a game of Poker backstage and had somehow gotten some of the security to play. At first she had wanted it to be Strip Poker, but Mondatta's warning nipped that plan in the bud.

Genji had joined in, though he realized early on that it wasn't even a serious game. After a few matches, Hibiscus got bored of Poker and, directly in the middle of a game, switched it to Old Maid. At first everyone was confused, but then they began rolling with it. Hibiscus changed the game again not long after and they were left playing a rather strange version of Go Fish. Those playing quickly caught on and with much enthusiasm, began to play this new "game". After a while someone would switch the card game to something else, even if it wasn't going to be played properly. By the time the break was over, they had switched to Tiến lên. It was chaotic and made absolutely no sense, and some people didn't even know the rules, but at that point they were too busy laughing to care.

The rest of the day went just as boringly. Genji and his Dragon were already tired of it. But then they'd look at Zenyatta and find the motivation to hold out. It also helped that at night him and Zenyatta would spend some " _quality time_ " with each other. However, after one such night, as Zenyatta and Genji lay cuddling on the bed, his Dragon brought up a very valid question.

" **Sparrow, have you ever questioned why the monk has sexual organs?** "

Genji blinked up at the ceiling, his brows creasing. ' _Well… Now that you mention it… No. Do you think he was made to have them_?'

" **If he was, then so would Hibiscus and Mondatta, would they not? They were from the same Omnium**."

' _That is true…_ ' Genji thought, his frown deepening.

With a mental nudge from his Dragon and an encouraging purr, Genji took a deep breath and glanced down at the Omnic resting against his chest. He bit the inside of his cheek, trying to figure out how to word this. After several agonizing minutes of thinking, Zenyatta eventually shifted so he could look up at Genji.

His tone was amused as he placed a hand to Genji's cheek. "I can practically hear you think. Tell me, what ails you?"

Genji chewed on his lip nervously, "It's just… I was kind of wondering why you… Have those parts?" He winced at how badly he worded that.

"Ah," Zenyatta stiffened, his hand falling from Genji's cheek.

Instantly the ninja was scrambling to take back his words. "You don't need to tell me! It's pretty personal, after all. I'm totally fine not knowing!"

Zenyatta sighed softly and nuzzled closer to Genji, fingertips dancing along his chest. "No, your curiosity is warranted. After all, it is rather odd that an Omnic made for dancing has parts made for pleasure. Though… You'll have to forgive me if I hesitate, there are some parts of the memory even I can't look back at fondly."

Already Genji was thinking the worst. His brain was diving into a pit of bad possibilities and handing him the worst ones. Was Zenyatta forced to get the additional parts? Was it required from his job? The possibilities were endless and with each one Genji thought up, it only got worse and worse. He was beginning to think that maybe he didn't want to listen to the story.

"You recall about how I told you why the Viscaria Parlour was shut down?" Zenyatta started, his voice barely above a whisper.

Genji swallowed, "Yeah?"

"Well… That's where it starts. You see, I was the Omnic that formed a relationship with a human employee." Here he took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. "His name was Keung and he was one of the employees that was also in charge of teaching dance. We both never intended for it to become what it did, but I've learned that life has a funny way of going about things."

Genji's eyes widened and it took all of his concentration not to outwardly show his surprise other than that. So Zenyatta had been the Omnic in the story? That answered some things, but also left more questions in its place. Genji did well in holding his tongue and not asking anything. He'd let Zenyatta tell his story and get it over with. If he had questions after, then he'd ask them if Zenyatta was up to answering. If not, then they'd drop the subject.

"It was innocent at first. We didn't even realize our feelings for one another. At least I didn't. Then Keung confessed to me and well, of course I said yes. We had been together for around 4 months before I decided I wanted to be closer. I wanted to pass the boundaries an Omnic's body had. So I talked with Keung and, while he was open to any decision I made, he made it clear that I did not have to change my body to please him.

"As you intimately know, I went through with the surgery. And, forgive me for saying this when we're dating, but the additions were put to good use." Zenyatta mumbled the last part, clearly embarrassed.

Genji chuckled and rubbed at Zenyatta's back. "No worries. It's in the past. I can't feel jealous over something that happened before we even met. That'd be unfair of me."

Zenyatta hummed softly, "I guess… Thank you, then." Pausing once again, the Omnic tapped his fingers as he sought to find a place to pick up the story once again. "The threats started and, before I knew it, people would come in to verbally assault him and me. We tried to ignore it as best as we could, but it began interfering with business. Keung was threatened with being fired if he didn't end the relationship. I couldn't be fired, as I was bought through illegal means. If I was no longer working at the parlour, there'd be nothing keeping me from talking to the media about its illegal dealings.

"So we had to decide between Keung's job and our relationship. We came to the decision that no matter what, we would stay together. Keung, despite loving dance more than anything, was willing to give it up in order to be with me. We were hopelessly infatuated with each other, naively thinking that it would all work out in the end." Zenyatta stopped here, his hand moving to seek out Genji's and tangle their fingers together.

"As I said before. Keung was in the wrong place at the wrong time. They broke three of his ribs, fractured two, broke his leg, his nose, and to top it all off, he sustained numerous stab wounds. A passing pedestrian had seen the start of the attacks and had called the police. But by the time they got there, the damage had already been done. He was rushed to the hospital and those of us at the parlour had quickly heard what happened. I… I was so angry and distraught at the news. I didn't think – I went to the media and exposed the parlour. The consequences didn't matter; nothing mattered other than getting Keung the justice he deserved."

Zenyatta squeezed Genji's hand and hunched his shoulders. "I waited in the hospital for his surgeries to be finished and for visiting to be allowed. Hibiscus and Mondatta would wait with me, offering support and comfort. When I was finally allowed to see Keung… He was a wreck. He was in pain, terrified, and when the doctor said that he might not be able to dance properly after it all, he was overwrought with grief. It was all just too much for him. He did not… Wish to be in a relationship with me anymore. I understood where he was coming from. He was attacked and almost killed for loving an Omnic. I could not blame him for his decision."

Genji swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. He looked down at Zenyatta and let go of his hand, instead choosing to wrap both arms around the monk and hold him close. He nuzzled Zenyatta's head, peppering comforting kisses along any part he could reach.

He couldn't dismiss what Keung was probably thinking. He was terrified, just getting out of surgery he could've died during, and was being told that he might not ever dance again. Of course he'd done the one thing that he could think of that was "safe". To break up with Zenyatta. In his mind, Zenyatta being an Omnic had been the root of the problem. The quickest way to comfort his fears of being attacked again was to remove the problem from his life. So he had chosen to let Zenyatta go.

"Do you still love him?" Genji regretted asking it the moment it left his mouth.

Zenyatta seemed surprised at the question, but he carefully contemplated his response. Each moment made Genji more and more nervous, his Dragon coiling itself into a tight knot of anxiety. Why was Genji so bothered by the possible answers Zenyatta could give? It shouldn't matter to him.

A heavy sigh left Zenyatta, "I can say that I still feel something for Keung, but I would not label it as love; at least not the love I felt then. Your feelings never truly go away, not matter how much you wish they would. Those memories, those emotions, they carry with you even if you don't want them there. But instead of denying them, I would rather accept that yes, they happened. But I'm moving on. I love Keung, but not in the way I did when I was with him. Now I love him as a nostalgic memory, a remembrance that because of what we had, I am who I am now."

A silence fell between them, one Genji was loath to break. But he just **had** to ask. "If… He came back into your life, asking to make up and get back together… Would you?"

Zenyatta lifted his head to look at Genji before outright laughing in his face. Genji flushed a brilliant red and sputtered in indignation at the other's blatant amusement with the situation. Resting his forehead against Genji's, Zenyatta let out a peaceful sigh once his laughter subsided. The tension left his body and he was once again limp in Genji's embrace.

"What a silly question, of course I would say no. I'm in a relationship with you, Genji. I won't break up with you because an old flame decided to come waltzing back into my life." Here he placed a kiss to the human's forehead.

Genji felt himself relaxing rather quickly thanks to Zenyatta's words. He didn't care to address exactly why it quelled his anxiety. After all, Genji was making a huge effort to avoid anything about the topic on his feelings for Zenyatta. He'd rather not acknowledge anything that might be there. Bet or no bet, Genji was just not opening that can of worms.

So brushing his anxious feelings under the rug, Genji held Zenyatta tighter and nuzzled him. "Thanks for telling me, Zen." Placing a kiss to the Omnic's cheek, Genji sighed happily. "Well, time for sleep."

Zenyatta chuckled in amusement at Genji's antics, but he didn't oppose. Letting out a sigh of his own, Zenyatta relaxed in Genji's hold as he entered sleep mode. Genji followed soon after, falling asleep wrapped around Zenyatta's warmth.

* * *

" _Alright, so you seriously want to have your birthday at The Dancing Oni? Like, really? There are better places, dude._ "

Genji huffed, "I didn't call for your criticism, Naoki. I called just to let you know that that's where I'll be having it. Well, in the evening anyways. That morning I'll be spending time with my family. Then after we'll hit the club."

He was currently on the phone while relaxing in the bathtub, the water almost to the point of overflowing. Genji was waiting for Zenyatta to get back from meditation with the other Shambali, so he decided to call Naoki in the meantime. It wasn't the first time he called Naoki while in the bath and it probably wouldn't be the last. Naoki had gotten used to the odd times Genji would call him and learned to just accept it as it was.

Naoki grunted, mumbling something to someone else before focusing back on Genji. " _And do you want me to pass this information on to Jiro?_ "

Humming in thought, Genji pursed his lips slightly. "If it isn't too much trouble. Actually, I'll just text you a list of people to tell. And if anyone else wants to show up, then why not."

" _You sure that's a good idea_?"

"What do you mean?" Genji asked in confusion.

Naoki sighed heavily, " _Well what if someone shows up that you don't want to show up? Say, I don't know, one of your most recent flings? Specifically one that's been hounding me about why you haven't been returning her texts when before it wouldn't even take you five minutes to respond? Asako, I'm talking about Asako_."

Genji winced at the annoyed tone Naoki had. So she was still bugging him? "Yeah, sorry about that. Look, if she does show up then I'll let her know there that I'm not interested anymore."

" _Genji, you can't just put something like that off. She has feelings too. Even if she's being troublesome with them now_."

"I know, I know! It's just, I'd rather tell her face-to-face rather than through text. That's a shitty way to do it and I'm not that much of an asshole." He ran wet fingers through his hair and sighed. "Look, I'll handle it, I promise. Just like I'll handle the bet I made with Jiro."

Naoki fell silent, but Genji could practically feel the disdain radiating from his phone. Sighing, he leaned his head back and rested his arm over his eyes. Well, now was a good of time as any.

"I didn't go through with it."

The silence was longer, though this time it was accompanied by Naoki's stutter. " _I-I'm sorry. What? Did you just say you didn't go through with it_?"

Genji sighed and debated on how to explain his reasoning's without addressing the feelings he adamantly refused to put a name to. Biting the inside of his cheek, Genji decided to just wing it. "We've been having sex during this trip. The first night I slept with him, I was going to take a photo, but I just couldn't do it. I haven't taken a picture and I don't intend to. I've decided that I won't do that to him. I won't betray his trust like that. So next time I see Jiro, I'm going to tell him the bet is off."

Again more silence followed Genji's admission. However this time when Naoki spoke, it could almost be called as hesitant. " _You know it isn't going to be that easy. At least not with Jiro. He's going to try and rile you up. And Genji, you never really back down when Jiro's goading you. That's why you're in this mess in the first place_."

"You worry too much," Genji snorted, "I'll handle it! Trust me!"

Naoki sighed again and Genji could practically see him shaking his head. " _Whatever man, just don't do anything you'll regret_." There was a pause as something on Naoki's line clattered and then the sound of glass breaking following not soon after. " _Shit, Hiro! No, stay there, I'll clean it up. Hiro! I just said stay there. No, I don't care that you're made of metal, you're not touching broken glass_." Genji could faintly hear someone, Hiro if he had to guess, shout back ' _Well you're made of flesh! That'll get cut worse_ '. Naoki clicked his tongue, " _Look Genji, I got to go. I'll talk to you later. Just send me the list of people with the date and time. Bye_."

He hung up before Genji could even say goodbye, though he wasn't really miffed by that. He hummed, tossing his phone onto his pile of clothes. Reclining back in the water, Genji sighed and tipped his head back, relaxing once again.

* * *

"Hibiscus, if you just wanted to talk to me you could've just asked." Zenyatta said from where he was standing in the closet.

In front of him, Hibiscus had her arms crossed over her chest and appeared to be glaring at her brother. After the meditation session, she had grabbed Zenyatta and had dragged him to her room, despite his protests. Juliet hadn't been in the room, as all security were being briefed on the scheduled shifts for the next few days. So the two had the room to themselves, though that didn't stop Hibiscus from dragging Zenyatta into the closet and blocking the exit with her body.

"You would've avoided being alone with me, you know what I'm going to ask." She said, huffing.

"I'm honestly surprised you didn't just ask in front of everyone."

Snorting, Hibiscus held up her hand and began listing off reasons that was a bad idea, even for her. "For starters, Mondatta would get mad at me for asking that in front of the other monks and he'd then probably break his vow of no violence in order to go and castrate Genji. Second, I have more class than that. Sort of. Not really but I know it'd embarrass you and then you'd clam up about it even more. And third, I have to be on my best behaviour if I want to see Juliet in a garter belt and miniskirt. I mean have you seen those thighs? They were made to wear lace."

Holding up a hand to stop her rambling, Zenyatta sighed. "As happy as I am for you, I really don't want to hear about my sibling's sexual endeavours."

"Well sucks to be you, because I do. So spill, you and Genji been dealing in that aggressive cuddling?"

"… I'm sorry? What?" Zenyatta was confused, they were talking about the same thing, correct?

Hibiscus sighed and rolled her head, "You know, baking the potato? Giving the dog a bone? Negotiating the forested chasm? Nobbling? Nut in the gut? Roughing up the suspect! How are you not getting what I'm saying?!"

At Zenyatta's silence Hibiscus groaned and placed her hands to her face. She mumbled something before dropping her hands to her sides. "Sex! I'm asking if you and Genji have had sex yet!"

With a sigh, Zenyatta placed a hand to his head. "I honestly don't know where you got those euphemisms from."

"Just answer my question."

"I don't think it's the most appropriate topic to discuss, Hibiscus." Zenyatta said dryly, but he knew that Hibiscus wouldn't let up about this matter. Looking up towards the roof of the closet, Zenyatta acquiesced. "Fine… Yes, we have had sex."

Hibiscus cackled, clapping her hands together in glee. "I win that bet then!" Ignoring Zenyatta's alarmed sound at there being a bet on how intimate he got with Genji, she continued on with her questioning. "Well? Did you Transcend? Did he notice? Please tell me you did! Or was it so bad you didn't? Oh dang, is Genji really bad in bed? That's sad, I had such high hopes for his apparent experience."

Zenyatta made a choking sound, his lights burning bright from embarrassment. "N-no, Genji is actually a very attentive lover in bed. And… The first time I did Transcend… But I have been keeping a tighter hold on my abilities so it would not happen again. I don't want to have to explain to Genji why I suddenly gained multiple arms and am glowing gold."

"Well how hard is it to say that the Iris gave you their blessing to use their abilities when needed? I mean you don't **have** to Transcend to show him. Just pop out some golden arms and wave them around a bit. I'm sure he'll think they're cool." Hibiscus waved a hand flippantly.

Zenyatta placed his hands on his hips in a scolding manner. "Hibiscus! I can't just spring something like that onto him! It's a very serious matter."

Groaning and leaning against the door, Hibiscus threw her arms up into the air. "You and Mondatta always make a big deal out of a simple problem! Look," She pointed at Zenyatta, "You like him, right? And he already knows about your Discord and Harmony orb, so why not tell him about this? I mean you don't have to explain what Transcendence is if that's what's bugging you, but you can at least show him the arms. Say it's to help with combat or something!"

She had a point. There was nothing saying that Genji needed to learn everything the Iris had gifted Zenyatta with. Then again, Genji had already revealed one of his biggest secrets to Zenyatta. Genji was doing better than him in the whole " _secret revealing_ ". Zenyatta still had secrets of his own that were only known by those in the Shambali and from the village below the monastery.

With a longwinded sigh and a slump of his shoulders, Zenyatta lowered his head in defeat. "Alright… I'll talk to Genji about it. But not while we're here. I don't want him getting distracted by something like this."

Hibiscus nodded in satisfaction, "Sounds good to me." She paused for a moment before opening her arms wide to Zenyatta. "Golden glow hug?"

Chuckling, Zenyatta stepped closer to her and hugged her. Slowly, the small room filled with a golden light as the six ethereal arms appeared and wrapped around Hibiscus in a tight hug. She hummed in content, pleased with the warmth seeming to radiate from the translucent arms.

"Aaah I missed this. Nothing beats an 8 armed hug." She patted Zenyatta's back before taking a hold of his shoulders and holding him at arm's length. "Alright, you've survived my questioning. Remember to practice safe sex, even if you can't really contract anything or get pregnant… But that doesn't mean you should disregard it in the first place! I raised you better." Wagging a finger, she gave Zenyatta a pointed look.

Zenyatta crossed his arms over his chest while two of the golden arms rested themselves on Hibiscus' shoulders and another two rested their hands over hers. The remaining set folded behind Zenyatta's back and held their wrists in a pose Mondatta usually acquired. Tilting his head in a smile, Zenyatta laughed warmly at his sister's words. "Yes yes, I understand. But please don't mention this to Mondatta? I want to wait before I let him know that Genji is aware of my… Abilities."

She chuckled, patting Zenyatta's cheek. "No worries, I'll keep it hush-hush for now. But don't wait too long, ok?"

"I won't."

Reflecting Zenyatta's action of a smile, Hibiscus sighed before stepping back. The golden glow in the closet died and the only thing left illuminating the room was the lights on both of their foreheads. Hibiscus waited for a moment longer to make sure that all traces of Zenyatta's arms had disappeared before she opened the closet door and stepped out.

"Alright, go back to your man."

She walked Zenyatta to the entrance, holding the door open for him. They hugged and bid each other good night before Hibiscus closed the door. A heavy sigh left the Omnic as she rested her forehead against the wooden surface. Her shoulders slumped and she sent a silent prayer to the Iris that her brother would stay safe and happy with Genji. That's all she could want for Zenyatta.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: WRITING THIS WAS LIKE PULLING TEETH. It was so difficult and it just wouldn't happen! :'D But I finished it. I wrote the chapter. After this I think I have around 4-5 chapters left, maybe less. But anyways, I also started a Ko-fi, so if you wanna support me and my writing on there, it'd be much appreciated! You can find a link on my AO3 account, as FF hates links :'

* * *

Time flew by rather quickly and, before Genji knew it, he was headed back home. They reached the Shimada estate well into the night, but Tobikuma and Hanzo were there to greet them. Genji received a bone-crushing hug from his father and a softer hug from Hanzo. They were obviously happy to have their third family member home, just as Genji was glad to be back. Especially with the prospect of his birthday looming closer and closer.

The days leading up to his birthday he spent going through the same routine as always. The only differences were that at night after their meditation sessions, Genji would sneak Zenyatta out of his window so they could go for a nightly stroll. They usually kept to the compound, mostly lingering on the rebuilt bridge near the koi pond. During those moments, Genji fondly remembered the prank he and Zenyatta pulled. It made him want to do another prank, though now one without any hidden motives. Genji wasn't going to continue the bet, he'd already made the decision not to. Any picture he took of Zenyatta now was going to be one Zenyatta consented to.

Genji found that, once he completely decided to forgo the bet and stick by his decision, he felt more relieved than he had in ages. No longer did he worry about it backfiring and hurting Zenyatta. He felt carefree, almost light. In the back of his mind, Genji was aware of some lingering guilt. Guilt for even agreeing to such a shady bet in the first place. It wouldn't go away, not as long as Genji kept secret about the bet. He'd have to tell Zenyatta eventually, about everything. Genji knew this and already intended to tell Zenyatta, he just… Hadn't found the right moment.

He'd be lying if he said he wasn't trying to avoid telling Zenyatta. It was a very serious matter after all, one that Genji couldn't spring out of nowhere. He seriously had to think on how the news would affect Zenyatta. For all he knew, the monk would want nothing to do with Genji after hearing about the bet. But no, even Genji's paranoid plagued mind couldn't fuel that thought. Zenyatta wasn't that kind of person. If Genji shows that he clearly regretted and repented for his actions, Zenyatta would eventually forgive him.

Maybe he wouldn't want to have sexual or romantic relations with Genji for betraying his trust, but that was trivial. Genji would be content with being friends if it just meant that Zenyatta wouldn't cut off contact with him permanently. Oh who was he kidding? Of course Genji wouldn't be satisfied with just being friends. But that didn't mean he'd reject the offer of friendship if Zenyatta dumped him. If anything, Genji would accept it as if it was water and he was a man dying of thirst. Zenyatta was just that important to him. But… Genji couldn't label the feelings that the monk inspired in him.

He wasn't stupid, Genji knew he had grown feelings for Zenyatta. Even now he knew those feelings were continuing to grow, even when it seemed unlikely. But he still wouldn't name them, he couldn't. To put it bluntly, Genji was afraid. Maybe he was afraid of commitment or maybe he was afraid of the prospect of falling in love. It could be that Genji was afraid loving Zenyatta would put him in danger, or that it was because Zenyatta would be leaving rather soon. After all, the Shambali were almost finished giving out their speeches. They only had a total of three left to give. The final speech would be held here once again in Hanamura before they departed for Nepal. And once they left… What then?

Would Genji be forced to go back to his previous life? Drinking booze, staying out till the crack of dawn, sleeping with whoever caught his attention; was that what Genji had to go back to? He found it less and less appealing the more he thought about it. Genji didn't **want** that life anymore. He wanted something… Different. Genji didn't know exactly what he wanted, but he had a feeling he wanted Zenyatta to be a part of it.

Maybe… He could leave with Zenyatta? Fly to Nepal and stay in the monastery. Not forever, obviously. He'd miss his father and brother too much to stay away that long. But… He just couldn't begin to imagine his life without Zenyatta in it. Was that strange? Only knowing Zenyatta for barely a handful of months and already growing so attached? Genji's Dragon thought it was normal, but then again it was a sentient green noodle spirit, so its opinion on "normal" didn't really count.

Genji really didn't have anyone he could talk to about this. He would've talked to his father, but just thinking about it sounded awkward. Who goes to their parent to confess that they're feeling really attached to someone they've known for only a few months and that they want to drop everything and follow them 3,173 miles to live with them in a temple? Genji knows that's how far Nepal is from Japan, he's checked! Multiple times just to be sure he wasn't imagining things!

Telling Tobikuma that would not go over well, especially how serious the Shimada elders got when any topic of the heirs leaving Japan came up. Hell, they rejected prestigious schools that requested Hanzo study there, the only reason being that they were located outside of Japan. They didn't want to let the two boys anywhere out of their sights and influences. Tobikuma could only keep them from his sons for so long, but even Genji knew they were getting fed up with his attitude. It was only a matter of time before they made Tobikuma or Hanzo do something to put Genji in his place.

Speaking of Hanzo, he was another person Genji could go to. But then Hanzo, his darling brother, would probably deliver a blunt response to Genji's wondering. Probably even address the feelings Genji had for the monk. Hanzo would then most likely relentlessly tease him for it too. Genji couldn't have that, he'd die of embarrassment. Especially if Hanzo then went to tell their father that he was… Feeling something for Zenyatta. No, that was a terrible option.

Just as Genji was losing his wits and wondering if he was doomed to follow his own advice, his phone rang. The caller was the answer to his prayers!

With a relieved cry, Genji quickly answered the phone. "Naoki, I seriously need your help!"

Naoki paused, the confusion clear in his voice. " _Um… Ok? Actually, I was just going to call you. Wanted to see if you'd like to hang out. Not just you though; Hiro wants me to invite you and Zenyatta. Like a double date kind of thing._ "

Genji raised a brow, his mouth falling open in shock. Naoki wanted him to go on a double date? And he'd pretty much be introducing Genji to his boyfriend? Even though previously he had said so long as the bet was going on…. Oh! Naoki knew Genji wasn't going through with the bet. So was this his way of telling Genji he was proud of him? By introducing him to his boyfriend? Genji felt that he would've liked outright praise more than anything, but he couldn't say he was against a double date. It'd at least give him a reason to brag to Naoki about how cute Zenyatta was. Plus he really was interested in meeting Hiro.

Grinning, Genji opened his bedroom window, slipping out and squatting on the roof. "Sure! Where do we wanna meet? Oh! But I really do need to talk to you. And it has to be just you and me, can't have anyone else overhearing about this. It's a very serious topic. Like, the world may just end if this falls to the wrong hands."

Naoki snorted, " _Sounds like an exaggeration, but alright. We can meet at my apartment. Hiro wants to go to watch the new movie "Hero of my Storm". Either that or "Six Gun Killer". But I told him we can decide once we get to the movies since they start around the same time_."

"Got it! I'll ask Zen if he wants to go." Genji leapt from the roof and onto one of the sakura trees growing along the side of the house. He slid down the trunk, managing to keep his phone secured firmly between his head and shoulder.

The two talked for a while longer before saying goodbye as Genji stopped at the guest compound. He hummed, stuffing his phone into his pocket and launching himself up the side of the building. Once he was hanging outside Zenyatta's room, Genji rapped his fingers against the window's cover. There was rustling and the sound of footsteps moving to the window before the panels were pushed open.

Hibiscus leaned against the window seal, her chin propped up by one palm. "May I help you?" She said in a sing-song voice, acting like it was casual for a man to be hanging two stories above the ground outside of a window.

Smiling, Genji went along with the casual attitude. "Yes, I was wondering if Zenyatta was there. I'd like to take him out on a date."

Hibiscus looked over her shoulder at something, most likely Zenyatta if the light chuckling was anything to go by. She hummed, looking back at Genji.

"Sorry, he's not here. Can I take a message?"

Genji tried to feign a pout, but it was hard to turn his grin into a frown. "Well can you please ask him if he'd meet me outside for a date? You're welcome to come too, though I can't promise I'll pay as much attention to you."

Hibiscus snorted and stood up straight, no longer leaning against the window. "Aren't you just the charmer?" She crossed her arms over her chest, cocking her hip to the side. "And where is this date?"

"Movies. My friend wants to go on a double date. Though… Triple if you invite Juliet."

Humming, she glanced over her shoulder at Zenyatta. "As tempting as it is to invite my beautiful sweetheart, I'll have to pass. She's got work tonight for a different security gig, so no dates for the time being. But I'll let Zenyatta know you asked for him."

And before Genji could say anything, Hibiscus had closed the window panels in his face. Through the wood he could hear Zenyatta scolding Hibiscus for her rude behaviour, but her groaning easily droned him out. He then heard Hibiscus loudly proclaim that if Zenyatta was going out, then it would take about five minutes to change his outfit into something nice. She also made sure to say that she would convince Mondatta to let Zenyatta go out with Genji by themselves.

With a warm chuckle, Genji slid down the side of the building. He then walked towards the front of the guest quarters and waited for his lover. Once Zenyatta slipped out and wound his arm around Genji's, the youngest Shimada bent his head to nuzzle Zenyatta's cheek.

"Shall we go? We're going to meet Naoki at his place."

"Ah, the friend who was buying oils for his lover?" Zenyatta said, recalling the name and face easily.

Nodding, Genji felt rather pleased that Zenyatta remembered his best friend so quickly. "Yep!"

The trip to Naoki's house was uneventful and slow. However Genji didn't find himself getting bored at all throughout the walk. When Genji was with Zenyatta, there was never a bored moment. Even when the talking lulled into a comfortable silence, Genji was relaxed enough to let it linger.

When they got to his apartment, they were greeted by a soot-covered Naoki. Apparently the reason why his apartment looked like a warzone and he looked like a chimney sweeper was because Hiro had wanted to make a welcome meal for Genji. But, as it became quite obvious, Hiro was a disaster in the kitchen. Before they left, Genji and Naoki cleaned up the kitchen while Hiro and Zenyatta chatted in the living room. They both had wanted to help out, but Genji insisted that they could handle it.

During this time Genji had whispered his woes to Naoki, his friend listening intently. By the time Genji was done explaining what he wanted to do, Naoki's brows were furrowed and his mouth was pulled into a deep frown.

"So in short, you wanna follow the Shambali monks from Hanamura to Nepal. Then you want to stay there for an indiscernible amount of time before taking a plane back to Hanamura? Then eventually make trips to and from both places every few months?"

Genji nodded, "Yeah, pretty much."

His friend sighed and ran his hand through his hair, pushing it from his face. "It sounds expensive, though you probably could afford it. But if you want my honest opinion, it's a bad idea."

"What?! Why?" Genji strained to keep his indignation below a whisper.

Naoki crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the counter. "Think about it, Genji. You're deciding to travel thousands of miles at least twice every year, most likely more. Let's say you do go and do that. You fly to Nepal, stay four-to-five months, then you fly back to Japan. And the moment you get back to Japan, you're already missing Zenyatta. You'd be so used to seeing him every single day that when you eventually wake up without hearing his voice, you'll start missing him more. This will go on for about a few weeks before you decide you want to see him again. So you'll take a plane and go straight back to Nepal."

Genji scoffed, his nose wrinkling in his annoyance. "That's stupid! No I wouldn't! I'm not that desperate to be around Zenyatta!"

"Genji, he hasn't even left yet and you're already making plans to visit him. You're impulsive, dude. The moment you start missing him, you'll mope around and be a pain in the ass to deal with. Then it'll get to the point where you can't even stand your own attitude anymore that you'll go to the only person who you think can fix it."

Naoki had a point there, but Genji wouldn't admit that. Instead he just stood there and pouted as Naoki continued.

"And this is all on the off chance that your family **lets** you go. You've said it yourself, your family doesn't like it when you go anywhere outside of Hanamura without them. So do you really think they'll let you go to Nepal whenever you want? Without kicking up a fuss? Come on Genji, you know better." Genji opened his mouth to speak, but Naoki cut him off. "And don't even think about running away. Dude, that's a seriously bad idea and you know it. Your family would stop at nothing to find you. I don't think you'll even make it out of Japan before they're dragging your ass back."

Genji slumped against the island counter, sighing heavily. He grumbled under his breath while glaring at nothing in particular. Naoki was right, there was no way Hanzo and his father would agree to let Genji fly all the way to Nepal unsupervised. It didn't matter that Genji was a grown adult, Tobikuma was still extremely protective of him. It had everything to do with the death of Kimiko and how Tobikuma blamed himself for it. After all, if he had been there, Hanzo and Genji might not have been kidnapped.

Scratching the back of his neck, Genji shrugged his shoulders. "I… Don't know what to do. I really don't want to say goodbye to Zen."

"And why is that?" Naoki knew the answer, they both did. But he was still waiting for Genji to say it himself. Yet with the way Genji looked at him and the way his jaw clenched, Naoki knew Genji was still petulantly avoiding the truth.

Naoki sighed and pushed off from the counter, "Whatever. Let's go, the movie's going to start soon."

The tense atmosphere between Genji and Naoki didn't last long. It disappeared almost as quickly as it appeared, the two men joking and shoving at each other like middle schoolers. When they got to the theatre, the two men clung close to their lovers and watched the movie with differing amounts of interests. Genji only found parts worth watching. In the movie, the young actress with pink markings on her face was pretty cool, she really fit the role she was given.

Genji enjoyed the movie, he could tell Zenyatta did as well. Hiro was running on about the effects used during the movie, which left him going off on a tangent about how such stunts and things are created. Naoki listened with rapt attention, nodding and smiling encouragingly as Hiro talked. Genji was lost during the conversation and he suspected Naoki was too, but that he loved Hiro too much to say anything. Genji would've said something, maybe teased Naoki about his feelings, but then he figured that Naoki would just turn it back on Genji and he didn't want to address his feelings again.

It was a fun group date, one Genji wouldn't mind repeating. The days leading up to his birthday were all like that. Peaceful, sweet, almost deceptively so. Genji was starting to worry that something bad was getting ready to happen, the calm before the storm and all that. If only he knew just how accurate his prediction was.

The day of his birthday started out great, fantastic even! He opened his eyes to see a black box on his desk, a card resting on top of the simplistic container. As Genji took the letter, he noticed Hanzo's neat handwriting on the envelope. Before Genji opened the box or read the letter, he prodded his Dragon and summoned it after a moment of waiting.

Purring in Genji's ear, the beast practically vibrated with excitement. Every birthday since Genji had gotten his Dragon, the thing would require to be summoned so it could do the yearly shedding of its scales. Hanzo's Dragons did the same thing, though it was usually before he left his bedroom. Genji's Dragon shedded when it felt like it, in front of everyone or not. Yet this was the first time his Dragon would do it without being transparent.

Genji wondered what would happen to the skin once it was shed. Usually for Genji's Dragon, it would shed its skin and then the dead layer would just fade away like a mist. Kinda like how his mother's Dragons did when they passed…

Shaking his head furiously, Genji threw out those thoughts. No, nothing sad here. Today wasn't a day for sadness, it was a day of celebration. After all, 22 years ago, Genji was born! That was a perfect cause for celebration!

Opening the letter, Genji snorted at the contents of it.

" _Dear Genji, you have been my little brother for 17 years now. The day you were born, I believe I hoped Okaa-san would never came home with you, that she would leave you at the hospital. I did not wish to have a little brother. Growing up, I still didn't want a little brother. But of course my disdain didn't last long. Genji, you are my little brother. I love you and that won't ever change, no matter the decisions you make in life. I know you've never liked the family business, not after Okaa-san died. And I understand that, I really do. Even I sometimes wonder if it's all worth it, in the end. But this was Okaa-san's life, she raised us to be Shimada's worthy of the name. Even if you don't want to take part of the business in the future, that still doesn't change anything. You are a Shimada, you always will be. I'm proud to call you my brother. Happy birthday, Genji_."

Genji ignored the burning sensation behind his eyelids and instead set the paper and envelope down. He'd keep the letter, he always did. Maybe Genji would frame it and hang it up in his room. Only to embarrass Hanzo, of course.

Opening the box, Genji whistled in appreciation. Inside the box was a beautifully crafted wakizashi resting on a bed of smooth velvet. The casing for the blade was a smooth black, the Shimada clan symbol printed on it in crisp white paint. As Genji lifted up the blade, he took great care when removing it from the sheath. The blade inside was just as gorgeous as the outside. The edge was thin, but strong. Etched onto one side of the blade was a Dragon, most likely meant to mimic Genji's Dragon. There was a metallic green sheen to the beast, but you could only tell if you tilted the wakizashi just right.

Genji stared at it in awe, fingers brushing almost reverently against the blade. Slipping from his shoulder to float closer to it, Genji's Dragon purred and shivered in delight. It nodded its consent, extremely pleased with the gift. Chuckling, Genji put it back in its sheath and placed it in the box, closing it.

"We'll go practice with it later. For now, let's go eat breakfast."

Nodding eagerly, the spirit curled up so it could use its hind leg to scratch at its chin. Some of the dead skin flaked off, landing on the floor and resting there. Raising a brow, Genji bent down and picked it up, examining it.

"I guess that answers one of my questions." He mumbled, dumping the translucent skin in the trash.

With a huff, his Dragon settled over his shoulders and breathed out a plume of smoke from its nose. Rolling his eyes, Genji trudged down the hall towards the kitchen. Hanzo was already sitting down, dressed just as pristinely as usual. He sipped at a cup of tea, clearly not touching his food till Genji and Tobikuma arrived.

Dropping next to his brother, Genji slung and arm over his shoulder and pulled him into a tight hug. Hanzo let out a sound mixed between surprised and annoyed, the tea jostling and spilling a bit on the table.

"Genji!"

"Thank you for the bladeee!" He squealed.

Genji's Dragon leaned forward, shoving its head into Hanzo's tea cup. Hanzo cried out in alarm, especially when a gurgling sound left the Dragon. He yanked the serpent's head out, glaring into his now empty tea cup.

"Are you serious? The both of you are such a pain!"

"You know you love us." Genji cooed, deciding to go the extra mile and blow a raspberry against Hanzo's cheek.

He was instantly shoved away while Hanzo cried expletives at him, all the while Genji laughed his ass off from where he lay on the floor. Just then, Tobikuma entered the room, a brow raised. From what he could see, Genji was cackling like a madman and Hanzo was rubbing furiously at his face while cursing Genji to the heavens. So, to put it bluntly, just another day between his boys.

They apparently hadn't noticed Tobikuma yet, for Hanzo had just launched himself at Genji and was starting to try and strangle his brother. Rolling his eyes, Tobikuma sighed internally before he sat down opposite his two sons. "Genji, Hanzo, I see you both are lively this morning."

At the sound of his voice, both brothers had stopped their wrestling. Hanzo let go of Genji's head while Genji stopped biting Hanzo's arm. The two brothers sprung away, sitting as politely as they could.

"Good morning, Oto-san!" Genji exclaimed, beaming at his father like he hadn't just tried to take out a chunk of Hanzo's arm.

"Oto-san," Hanzo bowed slightly in greeting, "Did you sleep well?"

Tobikuma hummed, "I did." Genji's Dragon chose then to quickly fly over and cuddle Tobikuma's cheek, the green serpent wrapping around his shoulders.

Chuckling, Tobikuma ran a hand over the soft mane. It purred, tilting its head back so it could be scratched on its chin. When skin began flaking off from Tobikuma's scratching, he wisely chose to stop, least the Dragon start shedding all over their breakfast.

From somewhere the boys couldn't fathom, Tobikuma pulled out a relatively small box. He set it on the table, nudging it towards Genji. Yet before his eager son could make a grab for it, Tobikuma held up a hand that froze Genji mid-movement.

"You will open it once we are finished with our meal."

Genji pouted, but that quickly fell away as he began piling food into his rice bowl and eating like a starved man. Genji's Dragon would occasionally nudge Tobikuma's hand whenever the man would lift some food to his mouth. Glancing down at the scaled beast, Tobikuma quirked a brow when he was greeted with an open-wide mouth. The Dragon chirped, sticking its tongue out expectantly.

Snorting at his Dragon's antics, Genji continued eating while he and Hanzo watched Tobikuma feed the small beast a few pieces of fish. It chittered happily, scales rippling as it chowed down on the offered food. It was amusing to watch, but it quickly became apparent that the Dragon was growing impatient from how slow Tobikuma was being when it came to feeding it.

Reaching out with its front claws, the Dragon gave an impatient chirp, its tail thumping on the floor repeatedly. Tobikuma lowered his chopsticks and huffed at the creature.

"No more food for you. Too much human food and you'll bloat up like a balloon." Tobikuma scolded.

Genji smirked behind his tea cup, "You mean like when Hanzo fed Hoshiko all of his eggplant when we'd have dinner? No one noticed until one day mom summoned them and Hoshiko was literally as big as a bowling ball."

"You did the same thing with Ryuu, only with carrots." Hanzo chided, glaring half-heartedly at his brother.

Genji stuck his tongue out at Hanzo, the action quickly mirrored before Hanzo returned to his calm, put-together attitude. Tobikuma watched them in amusement, chuckling lightly.

"Yes, I remember. And it was extremely pitiful to see, especially since they couldn't float with how bloated they were. That's why feeding your Dragon-"

Tobikuma was cut off as Genji's Dragon decided to ignore his warning and instead launch itself onto the table. There was a clash as it knocked over dishes and tea cups, the hot liquid spilling into laps and causing their victims to yelp in alarm.

"Stupid lizard!" Genji yelled, making a grab for the noodley bastard.

It dodged his hands and growled playfully, weaving around and grabbing the largest fish in its mouth. Genji cried out, making another grab for it. The Dragon jumped up just as Genji's hands landed on the plate. It flipped from the impact, flinging the contents directly over Hanzo and Genji. Fish bits and picked bones hit the brothers, both letting out cries of alarm.

"Genji!" Hanzo snapped.

"Sorry!"

Tobikuma grimaced at the tea stains on his clothes, slightly thankful he moved out of the way in time to not catch most of the spill. While Genji and Hanzo were hit with the fish, Tobikuma made a move to snatch the Dragon from the air. It dropped like a rock and skittered from Tobikuma's hands, fish still clamped firmly in its jaws.

Hanzo cursed, also lunging forward for the Dragon. It twisted at the last minute, tail hitting Tobikuma's bowl of miso soup and flinging it into the air. Genji watched as it soared up before tipping and spilling its contents over Tobikuma and the area around him before it hit the floor.

Any other time Genji would've laughed at the display, but seeing as how this was **his** Dragon that was causing a mess, Genji would probably be held responsible for it. So it was better to catch the damned thing before it broke anything.

"Got'chya!" Genji cried, hands grabbing the Dragon by the tail. It shrieked around its fish, wriggling like a worm and smacking around more of the plates. "Hold still!"

While Hanzo made to yank the fish from its mouth, that was the moment the Dragon needed. It twisted its long neck to look at Genji and, in a single moment, blew a plume of green flames from its nostrils. Genji yelped, letting go and lurching back from the flames. Now somewhere in the back of his head, Genji knew the fire wouldn't hurt him. It was his Dragon's element, so they aren't like normal flames. They may hurt others, but since those emerald flames flowed through his Dragon like blood, so too did they flow through Genji. They wouldn't hurt him, but that still didn't make the threat of fire coming at your face any less frightening.

Jumping off the table now that it was free, the Dragon sprinted towards the screen door and pretty much ploughed through the paper cover, leaving a gaping hole in the corner of the door. The three Shimada's sat there, staring at where the Dragon had disappeared to. This was the first time anything like this had happened, but then again, should Genji be surprised? When his Dragon was transparent, it couldn't eat human food. And ever since Genji gained enough control to make it tangible, he rarely bothered to summon it when he was eating. The damn thing had found an opening and took it, like the little snake it was.

Taking a deep breath and biting back a sigh, Tobikuma cleared his throat and made a motion to smooth his wet hair from his face. Grimacing at the feeling, Tobikuma wiped his hand on his already ruined clothes.

"Well breakfast is ruined. I will let the staff know that a… Rat had caused this chaos. In the meantime, Genji, find your Dragon and try to refrain from summoning it during meals. Return it to your tattoo once it's done shedding. Hanzo, do take a shower. You and I have a business meeting to attend to with Fujimoto-san."

The boys both nodded, but before they could stand, Tobikuma raised a hand. He then gave a pointed look to the box on the table that had miraculously avoided being thrown from its perch. It was sitting in a puddle of tea and had some fish bits on it, but other than that it was fine. Genji grinned and dropped back down, Hanzo settling next to him and watching his little brother open the box with much enthusiasm.

Genji whistled, eyes widening at what laid inside. Like Hanzo's gift, Tobikuma had gotten his son a weapon. Or well, " _weapons_ " to be exact. The box held around five shuriken, each one made of a crisp black carbon-fibre. The edges of the blade were a cool blue, reminding Genji of ice. They were well crafted, as all weapons for the Shimada's were. The shuriken were sleek and light-weight, yet no doubt just as deadly as the one who would wield them.

Beaming brightly, Genji picked up three and easily fit them between his clenched fingers. He twisted his hand this way and that, admiring how the light caught the blades and made them almost seem to shimmer. Looking up at his father, Genji returned the warm smile directed at him.

"I love them. Thank you Oto-san."

Tobikuma nodded, not resisting when Genji moved over to give him a tight hug. He did, however, wrinkle his nose slightly.

"You smell like the harbour. Best take a shower before you go out tonight."

Genji snickered, shooting up to his feet and taking all the shuriken from the box. No point in letting them stay in a soaked container. Genji would just put them in his specialized weapon's case. There was a specific area for all of his shuriken.

"Yeah yeah, I'll let Hanzo go first. I've got a reptile to find." Pausing at the doorway, Genji turned around and reached for something on Hanzo. He pulled a hand away from his brother's hair, holding up the remnants of a fish spine.

Hanzo pulled a disgusted face, "Ugh! Why did I get hit with the most bones?"

"Mmm wrong place, wrong time?" Genji grinned, tossing the spine onto the table.

He didn't linger there for long. He bid his brother and father a goodbye before going to search for his Dragon, shuriken stuffed safely in his pockets. He could sense where it was, so that wasn't much of a problem. However, the general location had him tilting his head curiously. So his little food-stealer ran to Zenyatta for protection? Smart… Genji couldn't strangle it with Zenyatta around. Though maybe he could, only when Zenyatta wasn't looking, of course.

In the back of his mind, Genji vaguely remembered what his father had said to Hanzo. About how they had a meeting with Fujimoto. Genji knew from the longwinded lectures Hanzo had given him that Fujimoto Kazuo was a rivalling yakuza boss that wanted some alliance with the Shimada-Gumi. Then again, from the way Hanzo said the man talked, one would think that he was more interested in taking advantage of the Shimada than being allies. It was extremely apparent with how angry he had gotten when the Shimada family decided to house the Shambali.

Hanzo had mentioned that Kazuo was extremely prejudice against Omnics. So it was no wonder that he had a problem with the Shimada's putting on a nice face and opening their doors for the monks. Genji was surprised he hadn't raged about it sooner, their trip was almost over. Then again, maybe he had been raging about it, but Tobikuma and Hanzo kept it from him. They knew Genji was impulsive and a little hot-headed when it came to protecting those important to him. If he found out someone had been making threats to the Shambali, of course Genji would react!

He bit the inside of his cheek, frowning. He could only hope that the lowly worm didn't try anything. If he did, Genji would personally run him through with his blade. No one would hurt the Shambali, not while Genji was around. They were Zenyatta's family and he cared for them, therefore Genji found them important as well. They made Zenyatta happy, so something bad happening to the other monks would no doubt hurt his lover. Genji would never let that happen, not if he could help it.

/

"Genji, I was wondering when you would be arriving." Zenyatta hummed, not even glancing up as the ninja pulled himself through the window.

Glaring at the purring Dragon in the monk's lap, Genji debated flipping it off or not. Deciding against it, he instead flopped in front of Zenyatta, leaning in and placing a kiss to his faceplate. The monk jumped slightly, but he hummed against the contact and leaned into it.

"Sorry," Genji chuckled, pulling back. "I didn't mean for my spirit to bother you. He kind of ruined my breakfast and stole some fish, so I was tasked with tracking him down."

Zenyatta chuckled, his hands settling on his knees. "I see, so that's what happened. I was quite surprised when he climbed in through the window with a fish in his mouth. Tell me, was it alright for him to eat that?"

Leaning back on his palms, Genji pursed his lips. "Mmm yes and no. They don't need to eat it, but they do anyways. He won't get sick from eating human food, but it isn't good for him. See, our Dragon spirits pretty much pick up weight like crazy once they eat human food. So they aren't allowed to eat any or else they'll blow up like a balloon. And a balloon-sized Dragon is gonna intimidate no one."

Zenyatta chuckled, watching the Dragon float up and towards Genji, settling around his neck and purring in a form of apology. Tilting his head, the monk folded his hands in his lap. "I see. Well that is good to know for future references."

They fell into a small silence, Genji vaguely wondering if he should get into a meditative pose as well. His attention turned back to Zenyatta once the Omnic spoke up. "Sorry, I just realized I had yet to say it to you. I had wished your spirit a happy birthday, but I haven't told you happy birthday. So," Smiling at Genji, Zenyatta reached over to cup his cheek and pull him into a small kiss. "Happy birthday, Genji."

Grinning like a dopey fool, Genji snickered and shrugged a shoulder. "It's alright. What matters is that you said it in the end."

The Omnic monk chuckled in response, leaning back. "So, what is the plan for you today? I had thought you would be spending the morning with your family?"

Genji rubbed the back of his neck, "Yeah, kinda. The other day my dad said our plans had changed a bit. He and Hanzo have an important meeting to go to, so that'll take around two-to-three hours. Afterwards they'll come home and then we'll spend the day together. At around 8 I'll be heading down to _The Dancing Oni_ to party the night away and celebrate my birthday." He paused, chancing a glance at his lover. "Um… Do you think you'll be able to go?"

At the inquiry, Zenyatta looked up to the ceiling. He hummed in thought, giving Genji the impression that he was frowning. "Well… It won't be easy to convince Mondatta, especially since it will be at a club. Hibiscus has her own plans tonight, so I may be able to sneak out with her. But she won't be going till around 8:30, maybe 9. And I do dislike the thought of lying to Mondatta."

"I mean, you wouldn't _technically_ be lying." Genji grinned sheepishly, "You'd just be… Skirting the truth! I do it all the time. Just tell him you'll be going out with Hibiscus and that's it. If he asks where you'll be going, let Hibiscus do the talking since it's her you're supposedly following."

Zenyatta hesitated but nodded slowly, looking down at his hands. "I guess that would be the better option… Though I will need directions so I do not get lost."

Genji grinned, "Of course."

He gave his boyfriend directions to the club, making sure to be as descriptive as possible. He had no doubt that Zenyatta would find it, but he wanted to be sure, just in case. Before he left, Zenyatta made sure to tell Genji that his birthday gift for the ninja was something more… Personal. He had said that it was to be a surprise and that he would show Genji once they returned to the compound after the party. Genji had half a mind to cancel right there and just spend the night enjoying whatever Zenyatta had planned, but he knew he'd probably get scolded for that. Reluctantly, he and his spirit left Zenyatta to his mediation. Genji showered and, making sure to take his new weapons, went to the dojo to train while he waited for his family to return.

He was extremely pleased with how sharp his newest weapons were, the blades cutting through the training dummies like they were made of butter. He trained for about an hour, during that time his Dragon had started its shedding. It rubbed its body against one of the hay dummies, scratching some of the loose skin of and allowing the Dragon to grab at it and pull. It was an interesting process to watch, completely different from how it shedded when it was a transparent spirit. Genji found himself pausing in his training just to sit and watch his scaly friend, sometimes helping out when his Dragon struggled.

Eventually by the time the spirit was done shedding another Dragon, Hanzo and Tobikuma had returned. His spirit disappeared back into its tattoo and Genji quickly picked up the evidence, debating for a moment on what he should do with it. At first he wanted to give it to Zenyatta, kind of like a memento to remember his Dragon by when Zenyatta was in Nepal, but then Genji realized that'd be like him giving Zenyatta his dead skin as a memento. Not as appealing when he put it like that. Genji decided to just toss it, it was less of a hassle that way.

Hanzo seemed a little antsy from the meeting, his brows furrowed so deeply Genji wondered what had made him so bothered. But when he asked about it, Tobikuma told him to not worry and that whatever it was would be resolved in due time. He also had a rather grim look, but the father of two quickly switched it to a softer expression. He then somehow managed to convince his two sons to break out some board games and just have a relaxing morning with him to celebrate Genji's birthday. Of course Genji could never say no to his father.

By the time 8 o'clock rolled around, he was already dressed to impress. With a deep, sage green shirt and jeans that hugged his waist sinfully, Genji knew he looked good. He had his hair styled perfectly and even put on some of his favourite cologne. The final touch to his outfit was a leather jacket customized with the Shimada symbol on the back, proudly declaring who the wearer was. Genji knew he looked hot, there was no doubt about that. But he knew that Zenyatta would probably look even more attractive than him. Genji seriously wished he could escort Zenyatta to the club with him, but then Mondatta would find out and then it'd get even more complicated and that wasn't what they needed right now.

Genji bid his father good night before he left, making sure to ask Hanzo if he wanted to come or not. Hanzo seemed reluctant, but after some egging he eventually threw on some equally eye-catching clothes and followed Genji out of the compound. Of course Genji had every intention to ditch his brother once they reached the club. He couldn't have Hanzo cramping his style with his stuffiness. No, that was a lie. He was probably going to pretend he was ditching Hanzo while simultaneously watching over his brother. He knew Hanzo could take care of himself and probably break any hands wondering where they shouldn't, but that didn't mean Genji wasn't going to make sure no one slipped anything into Hanzo's drink. What kind of brother would he be if he let that happen?!

When they got to the club, Hanzo was the one to actually ditch Genji, much to his surprise. He bid his brother farewell before making a beeline for the bar, sitting down to an odd-looking man with a cowboy hat. Quirking a brow, Genji shrugged before making his way to the VIP booth, knowing that was where his party was being held. When he got there, the booze was already flowing and, from the looks of it, all of Genji's friends were here.

Naoki was nursing some fruity-looking drink while glaring at Jiro, who was holding a glass of something and ignoring Naoki's harsh look. A few of Genji's other friends were holding their own drinks and sitting in the surrounding chairs, wisely ignoring the possibly feuding duo. Naoki was the first to notice Genji, his demeanour quickly lightening. He waved a hand at Genji, a lopsided grin forming on his face as the ninja made his way over.

"The birthday boy arrives." He hummed, sipping his blue drink.

Jiro smirked at Genji, leaning back in his chair. "So he does! I was almost wondering if you intended to show up or not!"

Genji quirked a brow, sitting down next to Naoki. "Why wouldn't I show up to my own birthday party?"

Before Jiro could speak, Naoki cut in, shooting the other a sharp look. "Don't." He said, tone harsh. To Genji, he offered a strained smile. "Ignore him. Just hurry up and order your drink. We've already started drinking without you, so you needed to play catch-up."

Though he wanted to question the sudden hostility between the two, Genji figured it'd blow over before the night was up. Shrugging, he flagged down one of the waitresses serving in the VIP section. She came over, smiling warmly as she took Genji's order. Once she left, Jiro knocked back the rest of his drink and slammed the glass on the counter.

Grinning fiercely, Jiro leaned towards Genji who was sitting opposite of him. "So? How was it?"

"How was what?" Genji asked, brows creasing.

"Jiro," Naoki glared, lip curling slightly. "I told you to not bring it up."

"Shut the fuck up, Naoki." Jiro waved him off, focus still on Genji. Already the young Shimada was not looking forward to whatever it was that Jiro was talking about. Clearly it was pissing Naoki off. "I'm talking about the Omnic, dude! Did you finish the bet or not?"

Ah. Right. There it was.

Taking a deep breath and sighing through his nose, Genji was grateful for the waitress when she handed him his drink. He leaned back in his chair before downing half of the amber liquid. "Yeah, about that…" He scratched his cheek, wondering how he could go about wording this. "You see… I've decided… Not to go through with the bet."

The chatter between their other friends died almost instantly, their eyes turning to look at Genji. The ones who had been there for the bet being issued knew the contents of it, but for those who didn't, the only thing catching their attention was the fact that Genji Shimada was not going through with a bet. The man who would do anything to complete any challenge issued his way was backing out.

"What?!" Jiro's bewildered cry voiced what everyone was thinking. "What do you mean you've decided to ' _not go through with the bet'_?! You never say no to a bet!"

Genji shrugged, sipping at what remained of his drink. "I know. It's just this bet I don't feel like doing. I mean come on, I have far more class than trying to sleep with a monk for a stupid bet."

"No, you don't. That's why you agreed to the damn thing in the first place!" Jiro narrowed his eyes at Genji, frowning. "And last time you mentioned the bet, you had already picked an Omnic out! So don't tell me you suddenly gained a conscious. No, it's something else."

Fuck, Genji hated how Jiro could have his brilliant moments. They were few and far between, but that still meant they happened, just not frequently. Internally crossing his fingers, Genji hoped Jiro wouldn't be perceptive enough to know what really was going on. Maybe he shouldn't introduce Zenyatta to them. Maybe he should leave the VIP room and let Naoki handle Jiro and the others. Sure he'd be throwing Naoki under the bus, but he'd understand, right?

Jiro's eyes widened at whatever he saw on Genji's face. A wicked smile pulled at his lips and he pointed an accusatory finger towards Genji. "Oh, I see! You love the Omnic, don't you?"

Naoki stiffened and glanced quickly at Genji, seeing the way his jaw tightened and his hands clenched around his glass. He muttered a curse under his breath, the last thing they needed was Genji getting defensive because he was childishly ignoring his feelings.

Turning back to Jiro, Naoki tried to defuse the situation. "Look, Jiro, does it fucking matter? Stop hounding him about this, it's his birthday! If Genji said he isn't doing the bet, then get your head out of your ass and just accept it as that. Tease him about this some other time!"

"Shut it, Naoki." One of the guys on Naoki's other side chided, elbowing the only apparent voice of reason.

Jiro snickered as he continued to point Genji's way. "That's it, isn't it?! Oh oh! Did it happen before or after you fucked? This is so fucking funny!" He cackled, shaking his head like it was the silliest joke he's ever heard.

Genji ground his teeth together, ignoring the protesting sounds from his Dragon and instead shooting a glare towards Jiro. "No, I didn't fall in love with him. Like I said, I decided it was the wrong thing to do."

"So what? You suddenly decided to grow a conscience after all these years? I call bullshit. Just admit it Genji, you have feelings for the robot." He cooed the last part in a mocking voice, pretending to gush at how adorable Genji was.

"I do not!" Genji snapped, a growl in his voice.

"Do too!"

"I don't fall in love, Jiro! I don't love Zenyatta!"

"Then prove it!"

Genji paused, the anger and denial sitting hot in his stomach. Jiro smirked at his 'friend', turning his attention towards over his shoulder. He then looked back, nodding his head towards the guy sitting next to Naoki. The dude grinned, standing up and heading somewhere towards where Jiro had been looking.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Jiro leaned back in his chair. "You know, you're lucky I bothered to invite more people for you. If it was just the ones Naoki had invited, this would've been an extremely boring party."

Just as Genji was wondering what he meant by that, the guy came back, Asako and her friends in tow. Genji felt dread welling up in his chest, squeezing his heart painfully. His Dragon was snarling warnings and hostilities, demanding Genji get out of this situation no matter what. Demanding its host not go through with whatever Jiro was egging him to do. But then again, Genji was always bad at following orders.

"Genji, happy birthday." Asako hummed, though her lips were pursed in a pout.

Jiro grinned at Genji, "Asako, don't you wanna give Genji a nice birthday gift? Or at the very least have him make it up to you for dropping off the face of the earth for so long?"

Asako hummed, cocking her hip to the side and crossing her arms over her ample, barely covered chest. "Maaaaybe."

He wanted to run, oh how Genji wanted to run. But he couldn't, running would just make Jiro call him a coward. He'd hold it over Genji's head, never letting him hear the end of it. Naoki was right, Jiro was extremely good at getting under his skin. But then again, Genji was just as much of a fool for letting him.

Plastering on his sweetest smile, Genji apologized to the girl. "Yeah, sorry about not contacting you lately. I've been pretty busy acting as security for the Shambali monks while they stay with my family. I have to behave, don't want my old man to ground me."

Asako chuckled and without much prompting, settled herself on Genji's lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself close to her while her friends settled next to Jiro and the guy on Naoki's side. Naoki, clearly growing bothered the longer this went on, stood up. He didn't want to see how this played out, he could already tell what was going to happen. It was better if Naoki went to drink outside of the VIP section, least he break both Jiro and Genji's noses. Jiro's because he had it coming and Genji's because he once again let Jiro get under his skin.

Genji couldn't really focus on much, his Dragon was raging up a storm inside of his head and it was taking every ounce of willpower he had to keep the serpent from ripping through his tattoo and causing some chaos. He continued to smile at Asako, his hands on the girl's hips. He tried to focus on what she was saying, he really did. But the only thing going through Genji's mind was how she wasn't as heavy as Zenyatta's metal body. How she was soft and curvy, not solid and defined. Her voice was too high, it didn't sound like gentle bells. Her scent didn't sooth Genji, it didn't have the faint traces of oil and a sweeter cover, it didn't remind Genji of peace.

He closed those thoughts off, putting a lid on them and mentally trying to distance himself from them. This was just to prove to Jiro that he didn't fall in love with Zenyatta, that was all. After this he'd make up an excuse, slip out of the bar before Zenyatta got here, then grab the monk when he arrived and just spend the night out with him. Yeah, that sounded a lot better than whatever was going on right now.

Keeping his expression as charming as always, Genji fluttered his eyelashes at Asako. "So… About my birthday gift?"

She chuckled, raising a brow at him. "Hmmm, I wonder if you deserve it. Have you been a good boy while I was away?"

"As good as I can be." Genji answered with a grin.

Seeming satisfied with his answer, Asako rolled her eyes. "Alright, then I guess you do deserve _something_."

Leaning in close till her lips were barely brushing Genji's, she whispered a soft "happy birthday" before closing the distance between them.

This was wrong. It was all wrong. His Dragon was wailing, clawing at the inside of his mind and practically shrieking about the audacity this woman had. How dare she touch them when they already had a mate?! But that's the thing, Zenyatta _wasn't_ their mate. Genji didn't love Zenyatta, he didn't. And he would continue to chant that over and over again because he was a coward afraid to admit Zenyatta had made him feel something he wasn't used to. So Genji continued to kiss Asako, he continued to kiss her in the hopes that maybe he'd not only be able to convince Jiro he wasn't in love, but that he'd hopefully be able to convince himself as well.


	19. Chapter 19

Zenyatta was extremely thankful he had left his mala back in his room. For if he had taken them with him, they surely would have dropped from their perch around his neck. Zenyatta couldn't think, probably couldn't even move if he tried. He was too busy standing there, glued to the spot as he watched Genji slide his lips across someone else's. The Omnic couldn't process anything other than what he was seeing, sound seemed to die away and only leave a screeching white-noise.

His hands clenched at his sides and Zenyatta hoped he wasn't visibly shaking. An ugly feeling was sprouting throughout his body and taking a hold of all his senses. Zenyatta tried to force the negative thoughts down, internally scolding himself. But no matter what he tried, the monk couldn't find peace, not with what he was being a witness to.

When Genji's eyes opened slightly and just happened to glance Zenyatta's way, he could see how wide they grew. Genji pulled away from the girl, mouth parted like he intended to say something. The debauched look he was supporting didn't help the negative feeling from coiling tighter inside Zenyatta's chassis. If anything, the lipstick smeared on his mouth and the tousled look of his hair and clothes just amplified it.

Zenyatta had seen enough. He ignored the discord he could feel radiating from Genji, didn't even bother to try and read the emotions. He turned around stiffly, feet taking him away from the VIP section and towards the front of the club. Zenyatta felt a numbness spreading throughout his form, almost reminiscent to the time where half of his body shut down and he could not move his limbs. Except this time Zenyatta had full control of his body and the numbness was bordering on painful.

He passed by Hanzo who had been talking to the cowboy, the Shimada frowning as he watched Zenyatta briskly leave the club after only just arriving. He had told security to let Zenyatta pass into the VIP section, even watched Zenyatta enter the other room. So why was he leaving? And without Genji? Hesitating, Hanzo realized that might be were the problem lay. He cursed silently, but stayed where he was. Genji would get nowhere if Hanzo coddled him when he fucked up. So he turned back to his interesting companion, pushing back his growing concern.

Zenyatta kept his brisk pace, bypassing the guards stationed near the compound entrance. He barely managed a hello, the men surprised that Zenyatta was back so soon. Zenyatta didn't bother with an explanation and they didn't ask for one, simply returning to their posts. He tried to be quiet as he climbed up the steps and entered his room. His mala awoke from their dormant state, sliding across the floor in a pitiful way. They stopped rolling at his feet and Zenyatta took a few deep, unneeded breaths, feeling a long-forgotten ache spread throughout his body.

It took a while, but his mala eventually floated up one-by-one before settling around his neck. It was then that Zenyatta heard footsteps coming towards his room. He tensed when the door opened, silence plaguing the room like a dense fog. Slowly Zenyatta turned, looking at the familiar figure of his brother.

"Mondatta." He said by ways of greeting.

"Zenyatta, you're back early." He leaned in the doorway, "I had thought I would not see you till morning, it is Genji's birthday, is it not?"

The way Zenyatta flinched did not go unnoticed by Mondatta. His brother was always observant like that, especially when it came to reading his fellow Omnics. And not only that, but Mondatta could practically feel the disharmony his brother was radiating. It was pushing against Mondatta, almost with enough force to make him stagger backwards if he wasn't made of sturdier stuff.

Zenyatta looked away, "I wasn't…"

"You don't need to lie to me. I've been aware of you sneaking out to see Genji these past few weeks. And I knew you weren't going out with Hibiscus on her date. I'm not as oblivious as you sometimes think, brother." Mondatta chuckled.

Shifting in guilt at being caught in his lie, Zenyatta hung his head. The cloud of discord was growing around the Omnic, enough that Mondatta could see all the orbs around his neck turning the sickly purple hue. This wasn't a good sign. Very rarely did Zenyatta feel enough disharmony that he couldn't expel it. It was fuelling his mala, turning them all into Orbs of Discord.

"Zenyatta," Mondatta touched his brother's shoulder, worry colouring his tone. "What's wrong?"

Clenching and unclenching his hands, Zenyatta made a shaky, soft whimper. "Brother, would you please spar with me? I know you do not like violence, but I just – I need-"

Mondatta held up a hand, stopping Zenyatta mid-sentence. He crossed his arms over his chest when he had his brother's attention. "Zenyatta, I understand."

A small amount of relief alleviated some of the pain blooming in Zenyatta's chest. It didn't remove all of it, not even half of it, but Zenyatta still appreciated it nonetheless. Mondatta led them out of the guest area, past the koi pond, and towards a little alcove where they wouldn't be noticed. He then turned around, putting space between him and Zenyatta before resting his hands behind his back. He inclined his head towards Zenyatta, indicating for him to make the first move.

Hunching his body, Zenyatta threw the first orb. It was wobbly and barely reached Mondatta. He didn't comment on it, even when the second one followed the same pitiful trajectory. Zenyatta was growing frustrated with himself at how he was no longer in control and at peace. After several more orbs failed to get near Mondatta, Zenyatta let out a frustrated cry and swung his hand in a horizontal arch. The angry, purple glow of the orb flared to life and lit up their secluded area. The orb shot out towards Mondatta at a breakneck speed, cutting across the ground in only a few short seconds.

Mondatta brought his hands up finally and moved one towards the oncoming mala. He sidestepped just as his fingers brushed the orb and, with a "ping" the purple colour was swallowed up by a warm gold. Mondatta spun his body, the ball following his movements before it was being flung right back at Zenyatta with the same amount of force.

Zenyatta was hit in the chest with the sphere, the impact knocking him off of his feet. From where he lay on the ground, Zenyatta watched his orb land near him. It then twitched before it began to roll towards him, the gold colour dimming before it was eating up by the bubbling purple, perfectly mirroring Zenyatta's heart. He turned his head away from the orb, not wanting to see what had just happened.

"You're distracted." There was a question in that statement, one Mondatta didn't need to ask. He wanted to know the reason and he knew Zenyatta would tell him, it was only a matter of _when_.

Standing up, Zenyatta clenched his hands, looking at the ground. He felt confused, hurt, betrayed. It was adding fire to his already existing anxiety, amplifying the disharmony in his soul. He couldn't find peace, his thoughts were too jumbled. Zenyatta wasn't in control of his emotions, he wasn't being tranquil.

"Does this have something to do with Genji?"

Zenyatta didn't want Mondatta to push, his brother needed to stop. He was not in the right state of mind to address this. Zenyatta needed to take a step back, he needed to find some form of balance before the miasma of discord overwhelmed him. Already it was pushing at his flimsy walls, threatening to break open the floodgates.

"Zenyatta, do not keep this in. You need to let it out or it will rip you apart." The Shambali leader said firmly, his tone pleading.

Looking up at Mondatta, Zenyatta tensed his body before he flicked his hands in quick, cutting motions. Orbs picked up from where they lay, launching at Mondatta as Zenyatta's feelings finally exploded.

"He lied to me!" Zenyatta yelled.

Every orb Zenyatta flung towards Mondatta was nearly black with discord. Yet every time Mondatta would send it back, he would replace the discord with his own harmony, only for the golden light to be drowned out again and for the process to repeat.

"He betrayed my trust! Made me believe he actually cared for me! That he loved me!" He wished he could cry, at least that way he'd have a better outlet for his feelings. Still, he continued to rage, throwing every ounce of hurt he could into the mala and dodging the ones Mondatta sent back.

"I believed him! I believed in his soul! Genji had told me things, things he told no one else! I thought I was special! The moments we shared, everything! I thought it meant something!" Zenyatta threw a particularly violent swing, the orb charging towards Mondatta and hitting him in the arm.

"Even with that stupid bet, I really wanted to trust in him!" Mondatta was going to ask what bet, but Zenyatta answered that for him. "He had made a bet to his friends! It was to see if he could sleep with one of the Shambali monks! I didn't know at first, how could I?! But then we shared a bed that one night, and he was talking in his sleep! Did you know that? Of course not, because it was something only I was privileged to know!" Zenyatta made a pitiful sound, his processers working overtime.

He stopped throwing orbs altogether, instead charging at Mondatta and starting a series of quick jabs and kicks. Mondatta followed all of this in stride, dodging hits and weaving past Zenyatta's sloppy movements. He let his brother rage, knowing Zenyatta needed to get this out of his system.

"I trusted him! I wanted to believe that he was a good person, that he wouldn't go through with that bet! And I thought I was right! I did not believe he was lying! Not with the moments we shared! I know Genji, I know he wouldn't hurt me! So… So why was he kissing her?!" Zenyatta cried, catching Mondatta in the jaw. He still didn't let up, forcing Mondatta back just to avoid attacks. "Why was he kissing her when he and I are dating? Does he think it was an open relationship?! Have I been wrong this whole time?! Does he even consider us dating?! Was I… Was I just a fling? Is that it? I wasn't... Anything?"

Almost instantly the fight left Zenyatta, his body deflating as he slowly sunk to the ground. His hands rested limply at his sides, the monk's head bowed. "Did our time together truly mean nothing? Was I just something to pass the time? His feelings up till now, the sides of him I've seen, were they all a lie?"

Mondatta dropped to his knees, not caring that his robes would have grass stains by the end of this. He wrapped his arms around Zenyatta and pulled him into a crushing hug, tucking his brother's head under his chin. Zenyatta shook in his arms, making clipped, static-like sounds as he tried to calm down.

While Zenyatta continued to shake in his arms, Mondatta lifted his head and held a hand out. Slowly Zenyatta's mala picked up from the ground, floating towards the two Omnics. Mondatta made sure to touch each one of them, letting his own harmony wash out the negativity Zenyatta was flooding his orbs with.

"Zenyatta," Mondatta started, making sure to keep his voice even. "Tell me, from the time we've been here, has there been any instance where you've doubted the way Genji acts towards you?"

He truly thought about that, hands clenching into the fabric of Mondatta's robes. "I… Almost did. When I had overheard him sleep talking about the bet he had made. I wanted to end our relationship there, even when I was already so infatuated with him. But then he woke up and… And smiled at me, and talked to me and made me feel so warm and light. I was at peace when I was with Genji, I know deep in my soul that he was being completely honest with his actions."

Nodding, Mondatta let the topic of the bet go. He'd have to talk to Hibiscus about this, though he'd have to make sure she didn't try to break Genji's jaw once she found out. The last thing they needed was her to get arrested for assaulting someone, even if they deserved it. "And leading up till now, has he given you a reason to distrust him?"

"No, he hasn't." Even when he was overwhelmed by hurt, Zenyatta still found his chest fluttering and his core heating up at the thought of Genji. Now that his anger had left him, Zenyatta was able to process his thoughts better. "I believe that he has a reason for kissing the girl. I don't want to make excuses for him, but I could sense the discord radiating from Genji. It was muddled and hard to pinpoint when I entered the club, but it was like hitting a wall when I entered the VIP room. I… Really don't think Genji wanted to be there. And when he saw me, he looked so guilty."

"But you did not linger long enough to distinguish the things he was feeling." Mondatta guessed, nodding his head slowly. "I agree that while Genji may have had reasons for his actions, it does not mean they were the right ones. He hurt you, intentional or not. If he truly is remorseful, he will apologize and explain what happened. Do not take an excuse, nor a pretty lie, take the truth, brother. Even if it hurts, the truth is better than believing in a rose-tinted lie."

Zenyatta nodded, not mentioning that Genji hadn't even bothered to chase after him. No, he needed to stop thinking about this. He could already see Mondatta's harmony being leeched out of his mala, his discord replacing the gold colour once again. Though thankfully they were no longer the deep purple colour, only a light shade of violet.

"I'm sorry, brother. I've caused you great strife…" Zenyatta mumbled, gesturing towards the orbs.

Mondatta chuckled, "I may not be able to produce harmony and discord like you can, but I can still lend the harmony I feel to help sooth your soul."

It was true, Mondatta did not have abilities like Zenyatta, but that didn't mean he did not have any of his own. A handful of the monks in the Shambali had been touched by the Iris, just as he had. None had been gifted with as many abilities as Zenyatta, but it was true that each had their own special gifts.

Mondatta had been blessed a few days after Zenyatta, gaining the ability to spread out his feelings of peace and letting them infect those who were willing. He could only reach those physically close to him and his harmony could be left lingering in certain objects, fading into anyone who touched the item. He also seemed to have control of Zenyatta's orbs, though only to wield them as weapons and hosts for his harmony. He could not produce Discord and Harmony orbs by themselves like Zenyatta could, but Mondatta found no fault with that. It was simply the will of the Iris, so he would say.

Rubbing Zenyatta's back soothingly, Mondatta leaned away so he could look down into his brother's face. "I would suggest you wait a few days before confronting Genji. You are positive he saw you, so we can assume that he will show up sometime soon to talk to you."

"How long do I wait?" Zenyatta mumbled, wishing to talk to Genji **now**.

With a hum, Mondatta tilted his head to the side. "Let's see… We have another speech to go to in two days, then we will spend the remainder of the week there before returning to Hanamura. So how about you talk to him about this after?"

Though he nodded, Zenyatta still couldn't help but ask, "What if he tries to talk to me during that time? If Genji attends the speeches with us, then we will be near each other the entire time."

"True," Mondatta nodded slowly, raising a hand to rub at his chin. "Then maybe it would be best to have someone with you at all times? It would prevent you and Genji from having a moment alone."

Zenyatta stiffened and pulled away, looking at his brother in an accusing way despite not having facial expressions. "You mean to tell Hibiscus, don't you?"

"Of course. She would find out eventually from how distant the two of you would be acting. Plus, not telling her now would cause more problems in the long run. If she found out during the speech, I have no doubt that she wouldn't think twice before trying to break Genji's nose. At least if she knows now, she can take the time to reign in her emotions and not act violently." Mondatta reasoned.

It was true, Hibiscus was protective enough to do just that. Consequences didn't really matter to her in the heat of the moment, which was usually why she got in trouble so frequently. Mondatta had a point that it would be better to tell her sooner rather than later.

Sighing and hanging his head, Zenyatta reluctantly agreed. "I'd just hate to ruin her night with this…"

"Hibiscus won't hold it against you, brother. You know this. She cares more about your wellbeing than one single date." The Shambali leader chuckled, nudging Zenyatta.

Feeling his own small laugh leave him, Zenyatta let his shoulders slump. "Yes… You're right."

Mondatta stood up, helping Zenyatta stand as well. The two brushed off their robes, Zenyatta's mala settling around his neck once again. Their violet hue had faded and were now dormant, but Zenyatta knew it might only be a temporary thing. After all, if his fears about Genji turned out to be true, Zenyatta knew he probably wouldn't be able to produce any amount of harmony no matter how hard he tried.

/

"Oh, well this is a surprise…?" Hibiscus mumbled slightly, confusion colouring her tone as she entered Mondatta's room.

She had just gotten back and saw the Shambali leader's room light on from underneath the door. Curiosity got the better of her, especially when she heard Zenyatta's voice conversing with Mondatta's.

Glancing between the two, she took note of their fresh robes and the way it looked like Zenyatta was slouching in sadness. She had thought her brother would be spending the night with Genji, showing off the lacy outfit she had helped him pick out. But with him being here and Genji nowhere in sight, Hibiscus knew something was wrong. Instantly she was on alert, taking a seat next to them and forgoing any form of greeting.

"What happened?"

There was clear hesitation from Zenyatta, but an encouraging nod from Mondatta eventually got him to explain what happened. It was clear to see the rage blooming in Hibiscus, her fans picking up speed and her body tensing with each moment that passed.

When Zenyatta finished telling her of the bet and what happened at the club, it was as if a switch had been flipped. Hibiscus lifted a fist and slammed it into the wooden tea table next to her. A spider web of cracks erupted from the gaping hole she left in the wood.

"Motherfucker!" She snarled.

"Hibiscus!" Mondatta exclaimed, cross with both her language and actions.

She stood up, hands flexing like she wanted to break something else. Preferably Genji's face. "Where is he?" She demanded, already moving towards the door. "I'm going to rip his spine from his fucking back and beat him with it!"

Zenyatta scrambled to lunge for her, wrapping his arms tight around the fuming Omnic and keeping her from leaving. "Hibiscus, please calm down! Mondatta and I have already addressed this. There's no need for you to get angry as well."

"Uh no, I have every right to be angry!" She snapped, turning around in Zenyatta's arms and grabbing his face. "He hurt you! And he told me he had no intention of doing that! He lied to you and he lied to me!"

Placing his hands over hers, Zenyatta squeezed them. "Sister, please. I already plan to confront Genji about this. I'm simply waiting to give the both of us time. I will speak to Genji about this matter once we return from our speech."

Shaking her head, Hibiscus stomped her foot petulantly. "But you're basically forgiving him! Are you even going to yell at him?! I would! Hell, I'd get a loudspeaker just so I can pop his eardrums by yelling into it!"

Zenyatta sighed, letting Hibiscus' hands drop. He instead enveloped her in a hug, rubbing her back slowly. "I won't forgive Genji that easily, even if I dearly want to. He hurt me, I won't let that go until he's repented. As for yelling at him… Well… I'll save that till after I've heard his answer."

Hibiscus grumbled, burying her face in Zenyatta's shoulder and sighing heavily. "He'd better repent. Or he's gonna get real acquainted with my foot up his ass."

"Of course. I wouldn't expect anything less from you."

The three let silence fall over them for a while longer before Hibiscus lovingly jabbed Zenyatta in the side. "I'm supposed to be comforting you, dummy. Not you comforting me."

"Does it matter?" Zenyatta laughed, holding her out at arm's length so he could give her a smile. "Comfort is comfort. It shouldn't really matter who it comes from, so long as it's from someone important to you."

Hibiscus scoffed, "Yeah yeah, whatever." Stepping away from her brother, she placed her hands on her hips. "Alright, so are you going to be sleeping in your room tonight, or here?"

Zenyatta hesitated, glancing over his shoulder at Mondatta. With a silent answer to a silent question, Mondatta merely nodded his head. Looking back at Hibiscus, Zenyatta gestured behind him.

"Well, that's your answer, I guess."

She was silent for a while before nodding, turning around and heading towards the door. "Alright! I'll see you two tomorrow then. Night nerds!"

"Hibiscus."

The Omnic paused in the doorway, not bothering to turn around to look at Mondatta. She waited for what she knew he'd ask of her.

"If you run into Genji, promise me you won't hurt him. I can't have you getting in trouble for punching the son of our host, even if he deserves it."

Clenching her hands into fists, Hibiscus sighed. "If he says anything that pisses me off, I can't promise I won't hit him. But… I'll try."

And with that she exited the room, closing the door behind her.

/

Genji woke up gradually, his head pounding and his face hurting like a bitch. Groaning, he turned over onto his side and took in a deep breath, instantly registering the fact that his surroundings didn't smell like his room. They smelt faintly of cinnamon, maybe some ginger. It was familiar, almost comforting…

Why was he sleeping here?

Sitting up abruptly, Genji looked around wildly, his hair sticking up in every direction. He instantly regretted it as his head began throbbing painfully. Whining again, Genji dropped his head to rest it in his hands.

Once he was no longer trying to keep his head from exploding, Genji took a look around. He was lying on a couch, a blanket tossed over his lap. On closer inspection, Genji realized he knew this place. Naoki coming out of the bathroom with some aspirin and water only solidified the fact that he was in his friend's apartment.

"Drink." Naoki ordered, dropping the pills in Genji's hand and offering him the water.

"Thanks." He croaked, greedily downing the refreshing liquid. He winced, touching the corner of his mouth and feeling a band aid covering it. Confused, he looked at Naoki. "What the fuck happened?"

"I decked you in the face." Came the blunt response.

Genji sputtered, brows creasing. "What? Why?!"

Naoki sighed through his nose, levelling a glare at Genji. "What do you remember from last night?"

Taking a moment to wrack his brain for his foggy memories, Genji thought back to what happened. He remembered getting to the club and then getting confronted by Jiro. Then there was Asako and the whole kissing fiasco with her. Genji stiffened, paling as he remembered Zenyatta standing there, watching Genji make out with someone else.

"Oh fuck…" He hissed between his teeth, running his hand through his hair.

Taking that as a sign he remembered, Naoki crossed his arms over his chest. "I was gone from the VIP section for 30 minutes. When I come back, you're knocking back drinks like they're water. Asako is trying to get you to stop, but you were pretty much shrugging off any hand she put on you. I think you growled at her at one point. Anyways, I ask Jiro what's happened and he pretty much shrugged saying ' _Genji's toy stopped by'_."

Genji groaned, burying his face in his hands. When his head stopped pounding, Genji was going to track Jiro down and punch his lights out. Though it seemed like Naoki beat him to that.

"I socked him in the face for that. Then I turned on you and demanded an explanation. Your drunken ass tells me that Zenyatta saw you sticking your tongue down Asako's throat. Then I find out that instead of going after him and clearing up this whole mess, you stayed back because ' _he wouldn't want to see your face'_. So I punched you as well. You went out like a light, surprising really. While Asako was freaking out, I picked you up and dragged you back to my apartment. You fucked up Genji, big time."

Leaning back, Genji looked up at the ceiling. "I know man, I know. Shit… I should've gone after him. I was stupid and just **sat** there."

Shaking his head, Naoki moved towards the front of the apartment. "Whatever man, what's done is done. You need to sort out your shit and fix this. Stop being a brat and just admit you like him already. It would've saved you so much god damn trouble if you'd just told Jiro to shove it the moment he started egging you on." Huffing, Naoki slipped on his shoes, calling over his shoulder. "I'm going to work! Hiro went out for his job an hour ago. If you leave before either of us get home, then lock up! But I'm serious Genji, stop being a coward and live up to that Shimada name you preach about!"

Naoki didn't bother to wait for Genji's response, slamming the door in a way that said he was still pissed off at his friend. Genji didn't blame him, he deserved every ounce of ire directed his way. Sighing heavily, he tugged at his hair, probing the edges of his mind in search of his Dragon. The lack of a scaly beast and the empty feeling in his chest made Genji stiffen, a cold sweat breaking out along his body. He searched his mind, unable to summon his Dragon or call out to it. Where was that thing?!

Taking deep breaths in order to calm himself, Genji got off the couch and sat on the floor in lotus position. He folded his hands in his lap and closed his eyes, focusing inward in search of his Dragon. His breathing slowly evened out, his shoulders relaxing. Turns out meditation was the best way to find that thing.

The temperature suddenly plummeted and when he opened his eyes, he was in a black space that stretched on as far as he could see. Genji looked around the empty void, seeing nothing but darkness. The only light in the entire area was where Genji was sitting, that being limited and only directed at him. The floor, on closer inspection, looked to be smooth tile, it too just as cold as the air around him, if not colder. Hesitating, Genji stood up, craning his neck to see into the darkness.

"H-hey! I know you're out there!" His voice sounded warped, almost unrecognizable.

There was a rumble and the sound of something large and scaly sliding along the floor. Claws clacked against the tile, echoing around the darkness. Genji twisted every way he could, unable to pinpoint where it was coming from.

" **You rejected me, Sparrow.** "

Genji stiffened, "What?! Rejected you?! But I didn't! I would never…"

" **But you did** ," His Dragon whispered, voice pained. " **The moment you denied our choice in mate, you began to reject me. You refused to accept the feelings we held, refused to listen to your spirit**."

"S-so what does that mean?! That you and I are no longer connected? That you'll leave?!" Genji yelled into the darkness, his panic rising.

The serpent chuckled and Genji swore he saw movement from the corner of his eye. But when he snapped his head in that direction, he was only greeted with the inky black.

" **Of course not. Our lives are entwined forever, Sparrow. I am with you, in life and in death. But our connection is weakened, we are out of synch. The monk witnessing your acts of infidelity only amplified the strife between us.** "

Genji grimaced, once again running his hand through his hair and tugging. "I messed up, badly. And I don't know how I'm going to fix this. Fuck. I should have gone after him. The moment I saw him, I should've tossed Asako off my lap and run after him. What was he thinking? Crap, I don't wanna know. He was probably thinking I was the worst person in existence. And god, I promised I wouldn't hurt him. I quit the bet because I didn't want to hurt him."

His Dragon was silent, letting Genji continue his train of thought.

"It was stupid, I was being childish. Naoki was right, I was a coward. I should have listened to you and just admitted it. Fuck, there's so many things I should've done! I should have done this, I should have done that! I'm a damn broken record!" He yelled, throwing his hands down in frustration. "I fucked up, Dragon. I might've ruined whatever it was we had with Zenyatta. If he hates us now, it's my fault. Whatever happens, it's all on me. I can spend hours here telling you how much I messed up, but there's nothing I can do about that now. It's in the past, I have to live with my mistakes."

A deep rumble came from the shadows, his Dragon moving once again. This time Genji recognized that it was standing in front of him. Maybe if he walked forward, he'd eventually bump into it. But Genji refrained, instead standing where he was.

"Am I a fool to think there is hope for you?" His Dragon mused aloud. "Your soul seeks balance, Sparrow. I think the first step to reaching that is to confess. Not only to yourself, but to those you have hurt."

Genji hesitated, his Dragon was right. He had to do this, he couldn't keep running away, he couldn't keep being a coward. He was a Shimada damn it! His ancestors would be ashamed with how he'd been acting! Hell, his mother would've boxed his ears if she was here!

Closing his eyes, Genji nodded. "Dragon, I lied to us, I lied to you. At first you and I agreed on the bet, we thought it would be fun. But then we grew fond of Zenyatta and who he was as a person. We began to see him as something far more important than a bet. But… That's where we stopped agreeing. I lied to myself, I didn't want to admit what you already knew. That we were falling in love with Zenyatta. I was afraid of these feelings, of how important Zenyatta was becoming to me in only a matter of months.

"I tried to run, to bury my feelings under as many lies as I could. I refused to look at the truth. And because of that, I made the wrong choices and I'm paying for them. I realize that now and I know I deserve this. But I'm only human, we make mistakes. I was so afraid that when Zenyatta left, I wouldn't be able to function. It's scary, you know? To have someone be so important to you that you can't function properly without seeing them at least once a day. I think that might be a little unhealthy, but what do I know? I've never fucking felt this way before!"

Running a hand through his hair, Genji took in a shaky breath. "I… I don't want to lose Zenyatta. I don't want to destroy the friendship we have. I don't want to be another bastard that hurt him. I want to salvage this, not because I want to clear my conscious or whatever. No, I **need** to fix this. I need to tell Zenyatta about the bet. I need to tell him what happened with Asako. And Jiro! I need to stop letting that bastard get under my skin and finally drop that fucker! Shit, I don't even know why I'm still hanging out with him! He's not a friend, friends don't pull this shit. I mean, look at Naoki! Dude punched my lights out and he still let me crash at his place! Even when he's still mad at me! Naoki… He's the kind of friend I'd stick with… I need to apologize to him too. For dealing with me and my bullshit."

Genji looked up into the darkness, his eyes glinting. "And I'm going to do that all. I'm done running, I'm done denying my feelings. I love Zenyatta, I love him so much that I, Shimada Genji, was a coward. And I'm going to spend the rest of my life making this up to him, no matter what. If he'll let me, I'm going to Nepal with him. I'll deal with my father and the council later, but I'm not going to let Zenyatta disappear from my life like this. No, I won't stand for it. I want to spend the rest of my life with Zenyatta. This is what I want, I know that now."

Silence fell over them, not at all obtrusive and almost… Light. When Genji's Dragon spoke, he felt something warm spark in his chest.

"To know yourself is to be at peace."

Suddenly the light around Genji stretched out, reaching forward at a gradual pace till it reached his Dragon. Standing at a distance was the large beast, its form easily towering over him, even as it sat on its hunches. As Genji began to take steps towards it, the serpent slowly lowered its head. Genji cupped the Dragon's chin with both hands, leaning forward to rest his forehead against the Dragon's.

"I'm going to make this right, spirit."

The Dragon chuckled, without even words telling Genji that it trusted him. Genji felt that warmth spreading throughout his body and suddenly the cold air was gone. Like a wave, the light flooded away from them and instead stretched out to their surroundings. Genji was suddenly in a field of flowers, the smell bordering on too sweet. He grinned, glancing around at the warm scenery. Genji's eyes danced over the woods and, if he hadn't been studying everything so clearly, he would've missed it.

Standing at the edge of the treeline in the shade of the large pines was another Dragon similar to Genji's. However this Dragon was a pure gold and glowed faintly. The crown of antlers on its head were decorated in beautiful blossoms and vines, the flowers blooming along its mane and tail as well.

Genji almost choked on his breath as the Dragon stared at him unblinkingly, Genji unable to do anything but stare back. However, when the Dragon slowly dipped its head, Genji found himself repeating the motion, only he bowed instead. He had an inkling on what this other spirit was, but Genji kept his thoughts to himself. His own spirt bowed to the other Dragon, showing just as much respect as Genji.

When the two of them looked back up, the Dragon was gone, in their place a blooming of purple flowers were left. Grinning, Genji looked back at his Dragon and laughed. Closing his eyes, Genji let out a sigh and felt the world around him wash away, his Dragon's purr echoing in the back of his mind.

Prying his eyes open, Genji noticed he was back in Naoki's apartment. Glancing at the clock on the wall indicated that an hour had passed in his mediation, which was surprising. It had only felt like minutes had passed. Standing up, Genji stretched out his limbs, popping bones and shaking the sleep from his system. Time to start keeping to the list of promises Genji made to himself. Nodding his head, he went to the bathroom, cleaned up a bit, then locked the apartment before he left. First stop, Jiro. Then he'll go to Zenyatta.

' **Not forming a plan, Sparrow**?' His Dragon chuckled.

Giving a wry grin, Genji answered back with a "Do we ever?"


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: I'd apologize for another update so soon after the last one, but whatever, I'm posting it now soooo /shrugga/ anyways! Hope you enjoy this chapter! I really had fun writing it :D I'm tired now. It's rather late. I have to get up early tomorrow, whoops. Lololol aaaaaah oh well~ Totally worth it uwu Thank you for your comments! I seriously appreciate them!**

* * *

Genji pulled himself up to the window leading to the guest room, body aching from the bruises slowly forming on his skin. Despite the pain in his form, Genji was feeling happier. He'd confronted Jiro on his shitty attitude and ended their friendship. He even punched the guy a couple of times, though he also got hit, but he did what he went there to do. He and Jiro were no longer friends and no longer on speaking terms. Genji was even pleased that he brushed off the words Jiro had tried to taunt him with! His Dragon was purring in the back of his head, encouraging him to take the final plunge and go to Zenyatta.

Which led him here, pushing open the monk's room window and holding his breath for the possibility of anything being thrown at him. "Zen?" He asked, cautious.

Peeking his head into the room, Genji took note of two things. One, Zenyatta was not in the room. And two, Hibiscus was in the room and if the hostile air surrounding her was anything to go by, then Genji could assume she knew what happened. Swallowing, he slipped into the room, keeping close to the wall. The only thing between him and the sitting Omnic was a lone tea table, something that could easily be flung at Genji should she so decide to.

"Genji, how nice of you to stop by." Her tone was sickly sweet, her elbows on the table and her chin propped up on her entwined hands. "I was wondering when you would show up! I've been here all night simply waiting for you to come and try to explain to my sweet little brother what happened. Yet, as you can tell, it's evening and only now have you shown up! That's not a good thing, my sweet little soon-to-be-dead-broccoli. Not at all."

Genji took a deep breath, he knew this might happen. He pretty much expected it. There was no way Mondatta or Hibiscus wouldn't know something was wrong with Zenyatta. They were the closest to him, of course they'd pick up on something. What was surprising though was the fact that Hibiscus hadn't broken his face in just yet. He knew she wanted to, the way her body was tense despite her lax way of speaking indicated as much.

Still, he didn't let it deter him from talking. "Yeah, I know. I should have come sooner. But I was… Still running. Like a coward. But I've changed, I'm going to fix this. I'm going to make it up to Zen."

Hibiscus let out a mocking laugh, "You've ' _changed'_? You expect me to believe that you've changed overnight? Genji, honey, you're human. Humans don't just change with the snap of a finger. It takes time and it takes work to change who you are. You aren't like an Omnic, you can't download new data and erase the old to change who you are. Hell, even Omnics can't do it that easily! So sorry if I'm **extremely** sceptical that you've suddenly turned into a better person."

' _Keep calm, don't get angry. If you get angry, she'll get even angrier. She won't let you near Zenyatta at this rate, especially if you piss her off further_.' Genji internally scolded, taking a few deep breaths to keep calm. Of course she wouldn't believe him. Genji pretty much burned up her trust in him after he broke his promise of not hurting Zenyatta. And he did it in the worst way too.

"I know," He breathed, hands clenched. "I know I'm not a hundred percent changed. Hell, I'm probably barely fifteen percent changed, but I'm trying. I hurt Zen and I'm so angry at myself for doing that when I promised I wouldn't. I should've realized it sooner that I was making a bad decision when I listened to Jiro and kissed Asako, but I didn't. And that's my mistake and I'm more than willing to admit that. I intend to do everything I can to make it up to Zenyatta, even if he wants nothing left to do with me. I'm more than ready to disappear from his life if he asks that of me."

"Why?"

She was testing him, it was easy to tell. Hibiscus wasn't even trying to cover it up. Her face was focused on Genji like she was studying him, judging him with the ultimate poker face. Genji once again cursed the fact that Omnic's expressions couldn't change. Then again, maybe it would've been worse to see her pissed at him with a human face. He had no doubt she'd probably have a glare that could kill.

Genji felt his Dragon growl at him, the mild annoyance clear. ' **Focus, Sparrow. Now is not the time to get side-tracked**.'

Tossing those thoughts from his head, Genji squared his shoulders and looked at Hibiscus with his chin held high. "Because I love Zenyatta."

He didn't say anything more. He didn't add on to it nor did he explain why he never admitted it till now. If Hibiscus wanted to know why he didn't say it, he'd tell her. But he figured that the shortest answer would probably be the best. Coating it up in pretty words would just hinder his intentions.

The stare she levelled towards him was unbroken, her body remaining stationary. Eventually she did hum, tilting her head to focus off towards the side. "I see…" She mumbled. Silence fell between them once more, but Hibiscus was the one to break it this time, her voice taking on a colder note and dropping the fake saccharine sweetness. "I have a question, Genji. One I expect you to answer honestly."

"Of course."

Turning back to look at him, Hibiscus dropped her hands to rest on the table. "Does you kissing this Asako chick have anything to do with the bet you apparently made with your friends?"

Genji froze and almost felt like the air was being punched from his gut. He noticeably paled, a small tremor wracking his frame. How did she know about the bet? She shouldn't know, Genji hadn't told anyone other than those who knew about it from the start. How could-

"You talk in your sleep," She said blandly, resting her cheek in one hand while the other drummed her fingers against the table. "So Zenyatta said, anyways."

Oh fuck.

Zenyatta had been the one to tell her. He had known about the bet. Genji had told him about the fucking bet unknowingly. And Zenyatta hadn't shown any sign that he knew about it. Unless he did and Genji was too stupid to notice. Had he acted differently? Was there any point in time that Zenyatta seemed odd?

His mind quickly jumped to the morning after Genji and Zenyatta had first slept together. How Zenyatta seemed distant until Genji asked what had been wrong. That was the first time Zenyatta had mentioned Genji talked in his sleep. But he had said Genji only spoke about his Dragon! Though of course he wouldn't tell Genji that he knew about the bet! Especially if Genji was purposefully keeping it from him!

"How long has he known?" He asked, voice barely a whisper.

"You tell me. It seems like you've got an idea."

Swallowing, Genji closed his eyes and nodded slowly. Ok, so Zenyatta knew about the bet the whole time. Even still, he stayed with Genji. Zenyatta trusted him not to go through with the bet and, though he didn't, he still hurt Zenyatta in the end.

He sighed, slouching so he was sitting on the floor, still by the window. Genji didn't move closer to Hibiscus, he knew better than to be within grabbing distance at a time like this. Genji looked down at his hands, shrugging slightly. "Well, you know about the bet and all. To be honest, I got reluctant to go through with it halfway. I didn't want to do it, I knew it'd hurt Zenyatta. But my pride kept getting in the way. A Shimada's pride is something not easily thrown aside. But… I couldn't go through with it. You know when we were out at the Garden during the speeches? Yeah, it was around that time that I decided I wouldn't go through with it. I even intended to tell Zen about it. I wanted him to know why I approached him in the first place and why it was different now."

Hibiscus sighed, her tapping pausing for a moment. "But you didn't have any intention of admitting you loved him." Genji winced at her spot-on deduction. Shaking her head softly, Hibiscus sighed again. "While I am kind of proud of you for not going through with the bet, you still didn't answer my question."

Genji lifted his head to look at her, "No, the bet had nothing to do with kissing Asako. As you probably guessed, I was being a coward and trying to hide the fact that I was starting to fall in love with Zenyatta. So in order to try and prove it to myself and my… Ex-friends that I didn't fall in love with him, I let them goad me into kissing Asako. I had no clue Zenyatta would see that, but it's no excuse. I'm his boyfriend," At least Genji hoped he still was, "I shouldn't have kissed someone else. And the moment I saw Zen, I should have chased after him and explained it all. To hell with what Jiro and the others thought. I'm an idiot for just sitting there and feeling miserable for my own stupid choices. I wasn't there to comfort Zen when he probably needed it. I just… Was a huge idiot."

The Omnic nodded her head as if Genji had just given sagely advice. "Oh yeah, you were an idiot, big time." She placed her hands on the table, leaning forward. "I could spend hours here telling you how much you hurt him, but I'm afraid I don't even know the extent of how bad it was. But it doesn't matter, what does matter is the fact that you went back on your word. You hurt Zenny when I trusted you to protect him.

"Right now I'm so fucking pissed at you that just hearing your voice makes me want to break something. But there's several reasons why I won't do that. For starters, I already broke a table last night so I don't think Mondatta would appreciate me breaking something else. And I'm sure Zenyatta wouldn't forgive me if I put you in the hospital."

Genji nodded his head, she had a point. Though he didn't think he deserved her mercy. If anything, Genji believed he should get his lights punched out again.

The two stared at each other for a moment longer before Hibiscus groaned. She slumped from her tense position, resting her forehead on the table. "But even if I wanted to knock your teeth in, I couldn't. You're my **friend** Genji! And I'm so fucking mad and hurt at what you did. I trusted you to take care of my little brother, to keep your promise about not hurting him! And then you go and do this!" She waved a hand frustratingly towards him. "And even when I'm beyond disappointed in you, I still want to help! I still want to believe that you'll make it up to Zen and that you won't make me regret ever giving you a second chance with my brother."

Genji perked up at this, his mood rising slightly. "Y-You're going to give me another chance?"

She grumbled, leaning back from where she sat. "Well I am, but it really isn't my decision what happens or not. That's Zenyatta's. Though… I already know what he's gonna pick. He likes you too much to cut off contact with you and he already intends to confront you about this whole thing."

"Really?" Could he dare to hope that everything would turn out alright?

Hibiscus made a sniffling sound, "Yep. Though Mondatta said he should wait till after the next speech. Till then, I am to act as security and keep your butt away from him."

And his mood dropped. Genji had to wait till after the next set of speeches just to talk to Zenyatta about this?! But that was so long! He couldn't patiently wait till then! He understood that they both probably needed a few days apart so they could gather their wits, but Genji already knew what he wanted to do!

He voiced this much to Hibiscus, brows furrowed and arms crossed over his chest. Hibiscus groaned, making a show of rolling her head. "I don't care if you can't sit back for a week! Look, Genji, I know your heart is in the right place. I can tell that much at least. But think about it like this. Zenyatta is still pretty hurt about what you did, so because of that, Mondatta is going to be extremely protective over him. More so than usual. This means that if you so much as sneeze in his direction wrong, Mondatta is going to skin you faster than you can blink."

Genji hunched his shoulders and grimaced, "He's pretty mad, huh?"

"Fucking pissed! Boy I would not want to be you right now!"

He felt himself sinking further and further down till he was slumped against the wall at a very awkward angle. But still Genji continued to frown wryly. Huffing, he brought his hands up to rub at his face. "So what am I supposed to do for now?"

Though Genji heard the rustle of fabric and the sound of Hibiscus moving closer to him, Genji didn't moved from how he lay. He still didn't shift even when Hibiscus sat next to him. She placed a comforting hand on Genji's head, ruffling his hair affectionately.

"That, my silly little boy, is up to you. You can sit here and whine about the fact that you aren't allowed to talk to Zenyatta for pretty much a week, or you can look at the gift the world has given you!"

Genji squinted at the Omnic, confused at the way she was puffing her chest out proudly. "… I don't get it."

Groaning, Hibiscus shoved Genji so he was lying fully on the floor. Standing up so she could lean over him, she put her hands on her hips dramatically. "I meant me, dummy! I'm the gift! Here is this beautiful Omnic who has personal experience making both Mondatta and Zenyatta mad! I've been dealing with them for years! I know how to cheer either of them up better than even the Iris could! So why don't you use your fucking head and ask me **sweetly** if I could impart my wisdom onto you on how to be on good terms with Zenyatta again."

Genji scrambled to sit up, eyes wide. "W-wait! You're willing to help me?"

"Of course," She crossed her arms over her chest, "Though not for free. I expect to be paid."

Of course she'd want to be paid. Though he had a feeling it wasn't with money. Standing up, Genji looked down at the shorter Omnic. There was no way he'd back out of this, he'd pay her in whatever way she wanted. After all, she was pretty much helping Genji in his clueless endeavour.

"Alright. What is it you want?" He asked, hoping it wasn't too outrageous.

"Watch your tongue."

Was all the warning Genji got before a fist was slammed into his jaw. The shock of the impact had Genji staggering back a bit, but he still remained on his feet. Hibiscus then grabbed the front of his shirt, yanking him down till they were face-to-face. She once again had that threatening air around her, the one that had his Dragon tensing up preparing for a fight. Ignoring the ache in his jaw, Genji kept his gaze locked with Hibiscus' faceplate.

"I'm only going to say this once, Genji. If you pull any of this shit again, I swear that I won't be as forgiving. Next time I won't hold back when I hit you." She threatened.

Resisting the urge to rub his chin, Genji nodded his head. "I wouldn't expect anything less. Though… Thank you for holding back now." It was pretty obvious Hibiscus held back. Mainly because Genji was still on his feet and wasn't spitting out some teeth.

Almost instantly the tense atmosphere disappeared and Hibiscus let go of Genji. "Great! Now, come on, take me out of the compound. The last thing we need is someone else walking in on us talking. I don't think Mondatta would appreciate me fraternizing with the enemy." She punctuated her words by holding her arms out to Genji and making grabby hands, silently demanding he pick her up.

He raised a brow but acquiesced and bent down, picking Hibiscus up and carrying her to the window like a damsel. She cackled, arms wrapped around Genji's neck. Together the two of them left the compound, heading towards somewhere quiet so they could collaborate on a plan.

/

Genji stood by the cars, tensely fixing his tie over and over again. The monks were currently loading into the cars that would be driving them towards their next speech destination, but Genji was lingering off to the side. He would be taking a separate car, one that would be travelling in the front of the other monks. This was because Hibiscus had advised him to take a separate vehicle. Something about the potentially tense silence in the car will make her want to throw herself out of the moving vehicle and walk to their destination. Genji felt she was being a little overdramatic, but then again Hibiscus seemed to live for the dramatics.

As he watched the monks get into the car, Genji bit his lip and fidgeted further. Hibiscus, Mondatta, and Zenyatta were getting ready to load into their car, the one just behind Genji's. As he watched Mondatta open the door, Genji found himself moving. He knew he had a plan to stick to, but Genji just had to say something!

"Zen," Genji reached out for the Omnic but was intercepted by Hibiscus.

She levelled him with a look, one Genji assumed was her way of telling him to " _back the fuck up and follow the plan_ ". But still, he pushed forward.

Zenyatta placed a hand on Hibiscus' shoulder, moving to stand next to her instead of behind her. "Yes?" He asked.

Genji's heart ached from the closed-off way Zenyatta sounded. He couldn't get caught up in that, he had to hurry. One of the security guards were discreetly gesturing towards their watch, indicating that they had to get going.

Taking a deep breath, Genji refrained from looking anywhere but directly at Zenyatta. "Can I talk to you? After the speeches. Or when we get back to Hanamura. Whatever you want works. But I really need to talk to you."

The monk thought about it, his head moving to glance at Hibiscus ever so slightly. The encouraging nudge she gave him seemed to help Zenyatta make up his mind. Nodding his head, he looked at Genji. "Of course. After the speeches we should have some free time."

He didn't know he was holding his breath till Zenyatta agreed. The pent up air left him in a rush and Genji found himself grinning, albeit slightly. "Great! Cool. See you then, I guess? Or well, I'll be seeing you during the speeches, but you get my point. Right. Um…" Hibiscus gave a not-so-subtle 'shoo-shoo' motion, helping Genji and his nervous awkwardness. Nodding, Genji clammed up and quickly scurried to his car, letting one of the bodyguards open the door for him. He slipped into the backseat and had to bite his tongue to keep from squealing. It was a good sign that Zenyatta hadn't outright said no to him.

Genji buckled up, looking out the window and using his hand to cover up the goofy grin he couldn't seem to ditch. His security climbed into the driver seat and the passenger's, both men buckling up as well before leading the car away from the front gates to the compound. Genji was rather prepared for a long car ride to their destination, so he settled back in his chair and pulled out his phone.

It was around an hour into their car ride that it happened. They were nearly out of Hanamura when the car abruptly stopped at a four-way crossing. Genji jerked in his seat from the sudden stop, his forehead almost hitting the backseat of the driver's chair.

"What the fuck?" He cursed, sending a glare to the driver.

Following the apprehensive look his security had, Genji turned his attention towards the street in front of them. The car that had been driving ahead of them had stopped without any warning, leaving Genji's car sitting smack dab in the middle of the crossing. His eyes widened when he saw the doors open and the men stepping out with bullet-proof vests on.

"Oh fuck!"

The sound of an engine blaring down the road snapped Genji's head towards the side. He barely had time to think as an armoured truck slammed into the right side of his car. Genji's breath left him in a wheeze as his door was dented in and the world seemed to tilt. Genji was flung like a ragdoll as the car tipped over from the force and began rolling. His body slammed into his window a few times and he could feel glass puncturing him, the windows broken and coating the inside of the car.

It eventually stopped rolling, lying on its back like a dead animal. Genji coughed, hanging from his seatbelt that kept him secured firmly in his chair. He opened his eyes and blinked through his blurry vision, gasping in pain. He winced, trying to raise a hand to touch at his chest, but he couldn't muster the strength needed for such a feat. Besides, his right arm was numb, Genji couldn't really feel it. He slowly glanced at the bleeding limp, already knowing that it was either fractured or broken. He had been slammed into the dented door rather hard after all.

White noise filled Genji's ears, not even his breathing registering as Genji looked at his surroundings in a disassociated manner. His security guards were unmoving, Genji couldn't tell if they were alive or dead. Right now, that didn't matter. He slowly pulled his eyes from the bodies hanging in the front of the car to look out the warped, broken window. He could see those armoured men, they were shouting something. What were they shouting? Why hadn't any of the other security guards done anything?

As Genji pulled his eyes over the assailants, he realized why they hadn't been attacked yet. It was because someone had Mondatta and was holding a gun up to him. But… It wasn't just Mondatta in their custody, it was the other monks too. They were loading them up into the armoured car that had hit Genji's. They were just threatening Mondatta's life in order to get the Shimada's guards to comply.

Genji's head was pounding, his gaze slightly hazy. Shit, he must've hit his head harder than he thought. There was a sort of echoing sound Genji was hearing, something that managed to break through the white noise, though just barely. At first he thought it was his Dragon trying to get his attention, but then Genji laid eyes on what was happening just behind Mondatta and his captor. Two of the goons had a firm hold on Hibiscus and Zenyatta, the both of them facing Genji's upturned car and struggling to get free. Hibiscus was on the floor, her hands behind her back while she struggled to get the man off of her, her feet kicking wildly. Zenyatta, on the other hand, was being held by the waist, his feet lifted off the ground as he trashed about, a hand reaching out towards Genji's car.

Almost instantly the noise cleared and Genji was suddenly assaulted with sound.

"Genji!" Zenyatta screamed his name, voice heavy with concern and desperation.

"Genji!" Hibiscus shouted, a snarl in her voice as she bucked again under her captor. "Get off me you fucking asshole! I swear I'm going to make you regret this!"

Hibiscus managed to fling her assailant off and she stood, spinning around and punching the man in the face. He went down with a wet crunch just as she hit another man that rushed her. She aimed for his gut before socking the side of his face as he doubled over.

It looked like nothing would get in her way from rushing to Genji's car, not until the guy holding a gun to Mondatta cocked the pistol and shouted at her to stop or he'd shoot. Instantly the fight left Hibiscus, though it was clear she was extremely reluctant about it. The goons not helping their friends up quickly tackled Hibiscus, using cuffs to lock her hands behind her back. They then forced her into the armoured car, the slighter Omnic cursing them with every colourful word she knew.

Zenyatta was still being dragged backwards towards the car, shouting Genji's name like a mantra. "Genji! Genji!"

Fuck, he had to move. He had to do something or else they'd get away. He forced his limbs to move, his left hand more responsive than his right. He slapped the buckle a couple of times before he managed to get the button and press it. He gasped as he was dropped onto the glass-covered roof, more of the shards digging into his skin. He bit his tongue hard enough to bleed, anything to cover up the scream from landing on his arm. He coughed, wheezing as he dragged himself out of the car with one hand, panting by the time he got halfway out.

Zenyatta by then was almost fully in the car, but when he caught sight of Genji his struggling increased. "Genji!" He cried, reaching towards the other.

Just as Genji lifted his hand, Zenyatta was forcibly tossed into the back of the truck and the doors were slammed closed. Mondatta was then dragged to the car that had been the one to stop in front of Genji's. He was forced into the backseat at gunpoint and, as the ringleader of the operation turned around, Genji took note of the stylized tree etched onto the back of his bulletproof vest. He couldn't quite place where he'd seen that before, but he knew it was important. Still, Genji couldn't focus enough to place it. His head was pounding and with every breath he took, his ribs ached even more.

He kept his eyes on the cars, struggling to drag himself further out just to try and do something. His Dragon, he could summon his Dragon. The spirit would consume those intent on harming the monks. Yes, Genji just had to summon it. He just… Had to…

Genji's vision was getting blurry, his breathing laboured. He watched as the cars started and drove away, taking Zenyatta and the other monks with them. He cursed, voice raw and scratchy. "Damn it, damn it, damn it!"

The moment the cars were gone, it was like all hell broke loose. The guards left all sprinted to the wreckage of a car, a few dropping to their knees in order to help ease Genji out of the crash. A few others went to help aid the two guards in the car while orders were being shouted. Genji was gently rolled onto his back and he felt large, scarred hands gently hold his cheeks. He was then looking into the face of Juliet, her usually expressionless look contorted into one of concern and fear.

"Genji, Genji stay with me. Stay awake." She spoke loudly, voice shaking just as much as her hands.

"Call the paramedics!" A person shouted.

"They're on their way! Someone get Lord Shimada on the phone!" Yelled another.

All the while everything was starting to sound muffled, almost like it was underwater. Juliet seemed to be growing frantic, her grip on his face tightening ever so slightly. Genji just couldn't seem to focus on what she was saying. The only thing he could think of was how nostalgic this seemed, almost as if he was reliving that night through his mother's eyes. Only unlike Genji, his mother had managed to thwart the kidnapping. Genji did not. He had failed.


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: This ended not where I intended :^) whoopsie-daisy~ Oh well. Hopefully this chapter satisfies you for a bit. I'm gonna try and get the next chapter out soon, but I'm going camping this weekend so posting may not happen... Maybe. If the camp grounds have wifi then probably! Not much to say for this chapter~ Oh well. Thank you all for your comments! They really do make me happy and wanna write faster! Hope you enjoy this chapter, thanks for reading!

* * *

Genji came back into awareness in bits and pieces, never awake long enough to make sense of anything. All he knew was that he felt numb and surprisingly light. After a while of waking up and passing out, Genji eventually felt a nudging in the back of his mind. It was his stupid Dragon, trying to drag him awake. At first he was tempted to swat the thing away and let sleep take him, but then an image flashed through his mind. It was of Zenyatta and the other monks being dragged away by men with tree symbols etched onto their back. That symbol, Genji instantly remembered what it was now. It was the Fujimoto clan symbol.

He shot up, eyes wide and a snarl begging to be ripped from his throat. Genji had to save Zenyatta and the others! They were in danger!

"Genji!"

The horse cry of his brother snapped Genji from his hazy rage. He blinked past the sudden dizziness that threatened to make him vomit. Turning to look at Hanzo, he took note of how ragged his brother looked. With his eyes a puffy red and a barely noticeable tremor wracking his frame. On either side of Genji lay Akira and Hikaru, the twin Dragons coiled protectively over Genji. They too had the same haggard look as Hanzo, though they began purring happily the moment Genji sat up.

Hanzo flung himself at Genji, wrapping him in a tight hug and mumbling something too low for his brother to hear. Genji assumed it might've been a thank you. He tried to ignore the painful way his ribs throbbed from Hanzo's relief-fuelled hug. His brother most likely needed this.

"How are you feeling? Does your head hurt? Your arm? Do you need anything?" Hanzo asked, letting go of Genji. He was already stepping away from the bed, moving around the room with a purpose.

It was then that Genji realized he was in his room, though there were some new additions. For starters there was an IV drip right next to his bed. And secondly, there were now two chairs, one having previously been occupied by Hanzo. The other chair was most likely where his father had been sitting, if Genji had to guess. Another addition was his bedside desk being cleared of everything and replaced with a pitcher of water, a glass Hanzo was filling, and a wide assortment of pill bottles.

He accepted the cup of water Hanzo had held out for him, gulping down two glasses before speaking. "The Fujimoto clan, they have Zen and the other monks. We've got to go save them." He rasped, voice scratchy despite the water he just drank.

Hanzo placed a hand on Genji's shoulder, almost like he could sense his brother was ready to spring out of bed. "Father and I are handling it, brother. They will pay for doing this to you."

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's go get them back!" Genji shifted, glaring when Hanzo refused to let go of his shoulder.

"You are in no condition to fight, Genji." Hanzo punctuated his statement with a frown. "You suffered head trauma, a broken arm, and several fractured ribs! You shouldn't even be up right now, let alone moving around!"

Genji looked down at himself, finally taking note of all the bandages littering his body. He then glanced at the white cast on his arm, how hadn't he noticed that before? Surprisingly Genji didn't feel that much pain and he had an inkling that it had nothing to do with medication. His Dragon gave an affirmed huff in the back of his mind, letting Genji know that it was trying to heal him as fast as it could. Genji needed to be fighting fit if he had any intention of saving the Shambali monks.

"Where's Oto-san? Is he getting the men ready?" Genji didn't bother telling Hanzo he was planning to go, it was obvious he was ready for a fight, broken bones or not. He was going to be the one breaking bones this time. Partially as revenge for his own wounds and the rest because they dared to kidnap Zenyatta.

Hanzo levelled a look at Genji, "No. Oto-san is in a meeting with the Elders."

At that, Genji's brows furrowed. "Elders? Why? What could those old fools possibly want at a time like this? Our guests have been kidnapped by an Omnic hating Yakuza leader! We'll be doing the world a favour by getting rid of them!"

"We're Yakuza too, Genji."

"Yeah, but we aren't Omnic haters. That makes us slightly better!" Genji argued, biting back a growl.

Before the brothers could delve into more bickering, the door to Genji's room opened. Tobikuma took note that Genji was awake and wasted no time in closing the door and quickly rushing to Genji's side. Though he was mindful of his son's wounds, Tobikuma still held Genji in as close to a crushing grip as he could get.

Genji's eyes widened at how Tobikuma's voice shook when he spoke, his body also quaking from the force of his emotions. "When I received the call that you had been attacked, I had feared… That I lost you."

He could tell Tobikuma had been afraid Genji had been attacked and killed like Kimiko. Hell, if Genji looked closer he could see the redness around Tobikuma's eyes that matched Hanzo's. The both of them had feared the worst: that Genji had been murdered and they were not there to protect him. Genji understood the fear, hell, even he was close to shaking. He could've **died** in that crash, it would have been so easy. But he didn't, he was alive and he was here.

Breathing in unsteadily, Genji returned the hug, though with only one arm since his other was currently in a sling. "I know Oto-san," He whispered, leaning back to look at his father, "But that doesn't matter right now. What matters is getting the monks back before Fujimoto does something to them!"

Tobikuma frowned, letting go of Genji yet still sitting on the side of his bed. "I'm afraid it isn't that simple, my son."

"What?! How is it not that simple?! They've wronged us, attacked us on our territory, attacked a **Shimada**. That gives us every right to retaliate!" Genji growled, his hand clenching into the blanket bundled in his lap. "Don't tell me those old coots talked you into not attacking!"

"Of course not, Genji. We have every intention of repaying them tenfold for their actions, but we can't possibly act now. The accident is currently being investigated, the last thing we need is for them to stick their noses in our business because we slaughtered an entire clan. It would be unwise to give them reason to look at us, even if it is to save the Shambali." Tobikuma sighed, hands folding over his chest.

Genji sputtered incredulously, "But we own the police?! Why should it matter if they investigate us or not?! They won't do anything!"

"We own the Hanamura police, Genji." Hanzo spoke, his tone grave. "But the investigation is not being done by our people. Overwatch has jumped at the chance to find the Shambali monks and figure out who had kidnapped them."

Genji paled and felt his stomach drop at the reveal that Overwatch was involved. The organization that was practically breathing down the Shimada clan's neck, waiting for them to slip up so they could take them apart and stuff them in jail. Of course Tobikuma would be forced to play as the innocent bystander. The father simply worried about his son being attacked and wanting justice done. However, there was a very prominent problem that caused Genji's anxieties to rise. Overwatch had rules, like any corporation being run by so many people. They probably wouldn't be able to do anything until it was too late.

"Oto-san, we still have to do something! They'll be killed if we don't! Overwatch shouldn't matter!" Genji was almost ready to beg his father to help. Anything to just get the Shimada leader to agree and take revenge against Fujimoto.

"Genji, my hands are tied. I cannot afford to slip up right now and give Overwatch a reason to investigate us as well."

"But Oto-san-"

"Genji." Tobikuma gave his son a look, both equal parts pained and firm. "There is nothing we can do without putting our clan in danger. We must… Let whatever happens, happens."

Genji felt his eyes sting, a lump forming in his throat. He let his gaze drift down to the bed sheets, his hand trembling as he came to terms with the fact that this might truly be it. That the last moment he had with Zenyatta was them on barely speaking terms. Genji didn't even have the chance to make up for the wrongs he had done.

Tobikuma reached out, placing a hand on Genji's shoulder and squeezing it. "I'm sorry. I truly am."

When Genji didn't respond, didn't even look at him, Tobikuma took that as a sign he should go. Standing, he sighed and nodding to Hanzo, flicking his head to the door. Genji needed some alone time to process this, both of their presence would not be welcome. Hanzo nodded, filling up Genji's cup of water once more before he exited with Tobikuma, his Dragons disappearing from sight once Hanzo was out of the room. Tobikuma lingered in the doorway, glancing at his son's defeated form. It pained him to see Genji like this, but there was nothing he could do, no matter how much he wanted to.

"I'm sorry, Genji."

"The Shambali's head of security," Genji spoke, eyes flickering up to Tobikuma. "Send him to me. I… Want to talk to him. He and I… Are in the same boat. Mondatta was to him… What Zenyatta was to me."

Tobikuma nodded, "Of course. Afterwards, please get some rest Genji."

"I will. Thank you, Oto-san." Genji mumbled, his vacant look sliding back to the blankets.

It took several minutes before there was a knock at his door. He called for them to enter, watching the blond security guard come into the room. At Genji's insistence, the man closed the door. He then bowed low, hands clenched into tight fists.

"Lord Shimada, I'm so sorry for you being put in danger. We should have kept a more secure environment, had cars flanking yours and the monks." He whispered, voice wavering slightly.

Genji waved a hand, staring at the man. "What's your name?"

He stood, back ramrod straight. "Alexander Smith, sir."

Nodding, Genji kept eye contact with the man. His blank look had melted away the moment Tobikuma had left, after all it was only an act. Did his father seriously think Genji would be ok with not trying to go and save Zenyatta? Of course Genji was going after him! With or without the help of his family.

Levelling an intense look at Alexander, Genji pursed his lips. "Will you help me in getting Mondatta and the other monks back? No matter the cost?"

Alexander, having removed his sunglasses the moment he entered Genji's room, returned the cool gaze with a look of his own. Without any hesitation he answered, "Of course, lord Shimada. What did you have in mind?"

Good, he had an ally on this matter. Genji had a feeling he knew who else would be more than willing to go on a rescue mission. "Get Juliet, the both of you will meet me in the alley next to Rikimaru's. From there we will make our way to Fujimoto's clan home. I will explain the plan once we get there."

Alexander nodded, taking this all in stride. "Sir, excuse my bluntness, but will you be able to go in your condition?"

Genji didn't bother to give him a clear answer, "Leave that to me. Now go."

Once Genji was alone in his room, he folded his legs underneath his body and closed his eyes as he began to meditate. He couldn't do this for long, he had to be quick. Instantly the warm breeze was brushing against his skin and when he opened his eyes, he was in the flower field. His Dragon was standing in front of him, its eyes glowing and its head bowed. The beast already knew what Genji was going to ask.

"I can't do this alone, spirit." Genji took a deep breath, "We both know that. In the state I'm in, I wouldn't be able to save Zenyatta even if they dangled him on a rope in front of me. I'm useless on my own. That's why I need you to help me. Lend me your strength, spirit. Our souls are already connected, so let us be a single being in both body and soul."

Tilting its massive head, the Dragon sighed through its nostrils. " **You understand what you're asking, Sparrow? I can only aid you for so long before the strain on your body becomes too much. Combining our forms could exasperate your wounds**."

"That doesn't matter." Genji lifted his chin, "Every moment we spend dawdling is another moment Zenyatta and the others are in danger. Spirit, you know as well as I do that Zenyatta takes priority over our own wellbeing. His safety is all that matters right now. I can deal with the consequences for my actions later."

The Dragon snorted at this, shaking its head in a mix of affectionate exasperation. " **You are such a reckless hatchling. You're lucky I'm so fond of you**."

Grinning at that, Genji spread his arms wide to the beast. "Well? Get to it then, Zenyatta needs us."

Rearing back on its hind legs, the large serpent parted its jaws. The bubbling of smoke spilled from its parted mouth, but the familiar green flames didn't appear yet. Suddenly the Dragon pushed off and charged at Genji. It slammed into his chest, body disappearing into him as it connect with his body.

Genji dug his feet into the ground, unwilling to be taken off his feet from the force. He grit his teeth, feet dragging through the dirt as he was pushed back. Once all of Genji's Dragon disappeared inside him, he struggled to stand on wobbly legs. Genji breathed in deep, smoke leaving his mouth on his exhale.

He shook out his body, feeling a burning sensation spread from his tattoo. It hurt, but not badly enough that Genji was unable to stand it. The Shimada lifted his head, feeling a change overtake his body.

His eyes flashed a blazing emerald and his pupils contracted, turning into reptilian slits. A scattering of green scales appeared along his cheeks and down his neck, disappearing under the collar of his shirt. Up Genji's arms more of those scales spread just as the tips of his nails lengthen to deadly claws. He worked his jaw, his canines suddenly feeling a little too big for his mouth.

Looking down at his body, Genji whistled in awe. "Woah, you weren't kidding! We did combine bodies. I've got your scales and everything."

His Dragon snorted, saying something about that not being the only thing Genji had. At that admission, he quickly twisted so he could try and look at his back. Unable to see anything, Genji let out a small sigh of relief.

"Oh thank God, I didn't grow a tail."

Clenching his hand into a fist, Genji grinned. "Well now that we're all set, let's go get those monks back!"

As Genji closed his eyes to leave his mind, he missed the golden Dragon that stood at the edge of the treeline. It seemed to watch him in amusement, even as he disappeared from view. Turning back around, the Dragon purred, walking deeper into the woods, a blooming of purple flowers popping up from where it stepped.

/

Genji opened his eyes, feeling power flowing through his body in subtle, thick waves. It filled him with energy, his senses sharpening farther than they ever had before. He sniffed the air, catching all different kinds of scents. There was the lingering musk of Tobikuma and Hanzo, an even fainter whiff of Alexander.

Sitting up in his bed, Genji looked down at his body. He took note that he looked just as he did in his mind, decorated in scales like that of his Dragon. He stood from his bed, not feeling dizzy in the slightest. Genji flexed his hands, pulling his arm out of the sling. He took a deep breath, wondering if this worked. His body tingled and he felt his Dragon purr encouragingly.

Holding his breath, Genji dragged a clawed finger along the cast, causing it to splinter and crack from how sharp Genji's nails were. They were like their own kind of blade, no doubt able to rip through flesh like it was butter. Keeping that thought for later, Genji ripped at the cast with his free hand.

It broke and, as Genji began tentatively moving his previously injured arm, he realized that it felt completely healed. He didn't spend long admiring the suddenly fixed bone, he just didn't have the time. For all he knew, his healed wounds were only temporary and, once he and his Dragon split bodies, those wounds would resurface. Genji pulled off his other bandages and clothes, going into his closet and pulling out his ninja attire perfect for stealth.

As he was getting dressed in the black material, Genji chanced a glance at his reflection in his mirror. He paused at what he saw, eyes widening. It was as if his tattoo had migrated, the image spreading from his back to expand over his shoulders and coil around his chest and stomach too. He frowned but said nothing, he could admire the changes to his body once Zenyatta's life wasn't at stake.

Genji piled on his weapons, slipping shuriken into the many hidden pouches of his outfit. Grabbing a hold of his Wakizashi, Genji stared down at the blade for a moment before attaching it to his waist. He had no time to go and retrieve his katana from the dojo, this would have to do. He had to leave before Hanzo or Tobikuma thought to come and check up on him.

Grabbing a black scarf along the way, Genji wrapped it around his neck and lower face before leaving through the window. It would do him good to cover up his face. The less people that can point a finger to Genji, the better. His identity had to remain hidden, for his sake as well as the clan's. Genji wasn't stupid, he knew that Overwatch sticking their nose in the investigation was a serious matter. So Genji was going to avoid giving them a reason to accuse his father of anything. Besides, even if his identity was revealed, no one would believe them. Genji was supposed to be bedridden, after all. The scarf was just an added measure of protection.

He stuck to the shadows, becoming one with them and melting away from view. It didn't take long for Genji to reach the wooden walls separating the compound from the rest of Hanamura. Keeping low, Genji waited till there was a gap in the guards patrolling. He shot forward when he saw his chance, scaling up the wall and dropping to the other side with practiced ease.

With his escape from the compound executed perfectly, Genji wasted no time in climbing atop a building. He used it to keep from sight, vaulting from roof to roof and traveling above ground. The ninja made it to the alley rather quickly, his feet barely making a sound across the roof. He peeked down into the alley, assessing that Juliet and Alexander were indeed there.

The both of them were dressed in all black, the two even wearing a pair of black gloves. Smart, they wouldn't leave finger prints like that. They wore sunglasses, as Genji suspected they would. What was with security guards and shades?

Wasting no time, Genji dropped from the roof and into the alley, landing in a crouch. To their credit, Juliet and Alexander only jolted slightly at his entrance. Even with the shade the alley was being thrown into, it was easy to tell Genji didn't look the same as before, especially when he stood up. Alexander opened his mouth, almost as if he wanted to comment on Genji's lack of a broken arm, his green scales, and his glowing eyes, but then he closed his mouth. They had more important things to talk about at the moment.

"So, what's the plan?"

Surprisingly it was Juliet who spoke, though her icy tone barely covered the amount of rage she must've been feeling. Her entire body was pulled taut, ready to spring into action at the drop of a hat. The movement of her hands flexing close to her hips brought Genji's eyes towards the gun holstered there. A standard issue pistol, simple and perfect for little hassle.

Nodding to himself in satisfaction, Genji's green eyes flickered between the two. "We'll reach the Fujimoto's clan within the hour, after that I will sneak in and make an opening for the two of you to get in. From there I'll track down the monks, eliminating anyone that gets in our way. I want to keep stealth at a high, so I'll be going ahead and carving out a path for you guys. If they sound an alarm, only then are you to engage. When we escape I specifically want you guys stationed in front of the monks. I can handle anyone behind us or trying to flank, so I'll leave getting them out to you."

"Understood," Alexander nodded. "And our alibi should the media question who freed them?"

"I thought of this," Genji grinned beneath his scarf. "We're simply three vigilantes who hate to see such good monks being attacked by dastardly yakuza. If anyone asks where you two were, easy. You were sticking within the compound, guarding the bed-ridden Shimada who suffered injuries during the kidnapping. After all, it would do no one good if I was kidnapped as well."

Juliet snorted, amused at the way Genji fluttered his eyes and placed a hand over his heart like a distressed damsel. Shaking her head, she sighed and placed her hands over her hips.

"Alright already, let's get on with it."

She was right, they had to move. Genji stuck with them, leading the two of them through all the winding alleys. He knew Hanamura like the back of his hand, so as any good ninja he knew the best ways to sneak around the place. In no time at all they had reached the main house to the Fujimoto clan. Their symbol was etched onto the stone of the large gate, proudly broadcasting just who it was that lived there.

Genji rolled his eyes, obviously they were trying to copy the décor of the Shimada estate, only with a few minor changes to exclaim that they were "original". It would do his family good to have these pests eradicated. Though Genji didn't really care much for his family's shadier business, he still knew this would help his family with more sales. After all, a competing yakuza clan was just wiped out overnight. There was no question about it, Genji had every intention to slaughter those involved with the kidnapping. From the way his Dragon growled in the back of his mind, it also had the same craving for blood.

Pausing for a moment in their secluded hiding spot, Genji only thought for a second about summoning his spirit. It would make the fighting much easier and besides, at least this way they could cover more ground. So, without any prompting, Genji summoned his Dragon.

Very rarely did he utter the words to call upon it in a battle setting. He had never had a reason to do it, so he never knew what would happen. Next to him, the air shimmered for a moment and suddenly the Dragon formed by a wave of green fire, the flames pooling down and creating the body before moving up to end at the tip of the tail. The spirit that appeared next to him was transparent, but barely. It glowed green, wisps of harmless emerald fire floating from its form. The beast was a few heads taller than Genji, even as it stood on all fours. The Dragon's whiskers whipped along an invisible current of air, the maw of the great beast parted and giving it the appearance of a grin.

Both Juliet and Alexander did jump at the appearance of the Dragon, the two sticking close to the wall out of survival instincts. Genji paid them no mind, offering no explanation for the sudden appearance of a spiritual green Dragon. He instead held out a hand to the beast and smiled as it touched its snout to his hand. A growl grumbled in the back of its throat, Genji mimicking the sound, able to produce it just as well as his spirit.

"Let's go and get the Shambali back."


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: This took a bit longer to write because I added so much to it! But I'm extremely pleased with where this ended! If you follow my Instagram, then you've probably seen a few sneak peek screen shots of unedited pages. Obviously I never post anything too revealing, just a sentence or two to build hype~ Hopefully this turned out as well as I anticipated! Thank you all for your comments!

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Genji slipped from the shadows, his Dragon following close by his side. The beast had toned down its ethereal glowing, something Genji wasn't aware it could do. Though he wasn't really complaining since it was useful for stealth missions like this.

The two scaled the wall far enough from the entrance that they wouldn't be spotted by the guards around it. From his perch at the top of the stone wall, he looked down towards the entrance of the large compound. There were two guards stationed at the front and three guards on the other side within the compound walls. Frowning, Genji ploughed through all the possible plans he could do.

With his spirit as his ally, Genji had no need to speak aloud his thoughts. The serpent could hear him just as well as Genji could hear it. They were the ultimate team in a scenario like this.

The Dragon aided Genji in the formulation of his plan. First they would kill the guards inside the compound. Then Genji's Dragon would consume whatever was left of them as to avoid leaving evidence. Though depending on how Genji killed them, there would be blood stains, with or without his Dragon's help. It would be better to use shuriken, maybe hit the guard's spinal cords. That way they'd have a chance of being paralyzed and his Dragon could handle the rest. Genji had no doubt he'd be able to do that much damage, the added strength his Dragon gave him made him sure of it.

It was an ideal plan, would probably have a better turn out rather than if Genji ran in there swinging his Wakizashi like a lunatic. They'd have to be stealthy about this, avoid the guards noticing him or his Dragon. All it would take was one lone scream before they had the whole compound on their asses. Genji couldn't risk them moving the monks to a more secure location because he couldn't play stealth ninja.

Reaching into the folds of his outfit, he wedged three shuriken between his clenched fingers. The way the guards were stationed around the entrance, Genji knew that he wouldn't be able to hit all of them. But that was fine, Genji was an expert at improvising. He just had to work quickly so that the guards couldn't alert the others.

Dropping from his perch, Genji silently told his Dragon to hang back till the moment was right. His feet landed on the floor softly and he clung to the shadows the wall cast over the ground, keeping him shrouded from sight. With a deep breath, Genji clenched his fingers tighter, feeling the tip of his claws bite into his skin along with the shuriken.

The slight sting helped ground him in the moment, his senses honing till they were as sharp as the blades he wielded. Genji sprung from his hiding spot on silent feet and he wasted no time in tossing his barrage of shuriken, striking two in the back of the neck with deadly accuracy. Just as he predicted, the third missed, though not by much. It hit the guard in the upper shoulder, causing him to jolt in surprise.

Two of the three dropped to the ground, one convulsing and the other dead on impact. The third one barely managed to spin around before Genji was on him. He gripped the man from behind, one hand clamped over his mouth and the other securely holding his head. Just as Genji's Dragon dropped from the wall to consume the other guards' bodies and spirits, Genji snapped the neck of the man in his hold. He slumped in Genji's arms and was carefully lowered to the ground.

Stepping away from the bodies, Genji's eyes flickered to his Dragon. The beast had just opened its jaws and bit the arm of one of the men. He gurgled, unable to form coherent words. Genji watched with cold eyes as the man shuddered one last time before his body seemed to disintegrate into that green fire his Dragon's body produced. It flowed to his spirit, combining with the flames already dancing along its form. It left behind nothing, only a few splattering's of blood. Not even scorch marks from the mystical fire remained.

His beast ate the other bodies just the same way, Genji watching every moment of it with a small sick sense of satisfaction. But as quickly as that feeling had come, it was squashed by Genji. There was nothing to be pleased about. Though Genji felt nothing for taking another's life, he still hated himself for even having a moment of satisfaction.

Genji's gaze flickered to the door as it was slowly pushed open. Apparently the sound of the bodies hitting the floor had been enough to warrant the guards from outside to investigate. Genji yanked out another pair of shuriken just as the guard pushed open the door wide enough. He fell back with a grunt as the small weapons imbedded into his chest, Genji's Dragon diving in to consume his soul just as Genji jumped over his body and ran out of the entrance.

He tackled the other guard to the ground just as he was pulling out his gun. With deft fingers Genji grabbed his Wakizashi and, while covering the man's mouth, he slit his throat. His Dragon was quick to consume this one as well, the two efficient in the elimination of their enemies.

Genji stood, nodding his head in the direction Juliet and Alexander were hiding in. They quickly broke from cover, guns drawn just in case. They stopped by Genji, expression effectively hidden by the sunglasses and bandana's covering the bottom half of their face. Genji vaguely wondered if they had those with them the whole time.

"You are… Rather capable at this, lord Shimada." Alexander commented, his tone not giving away anything he might be thinking.

Genji shrugged, sheathing his blade. "I know you're aware of the rumours surrounding my family."

"Words spoken anywhere but from the source aren't always accurate."

That made Genji quirk his lips, the guy really did spend a lot of time with Mondatta if he was pulling out phrases the monk would say. Snorting, Genji glanced at his Dragon. The spirit nudged his shoulder and Genji held out his hand. Opening its mouth, the Dragon dropped the shuriken Genji had thrown into his awaiting hand. They were devoid of saliva, which Genji was extremely grateful for. The last thing he needed was wet shuriken throwing off his aim.

He stuffed them back into the folds of his outfit, casting a quick glance towards Alexander. "I'm a Shimada, Mr. Smith. This isn't the first time I've drawn my blade against someone. That doesn't mean I like it, though."

No, it wasn't the first time Genji had killed. Living in his family, it was to be expected he'd have to eventually. Genji first took a life when he was 17 and had been out with friends. On his way home through the twisting alleys of Hanamura, he had been jumped by an assassin sent to eliminate one of the Shimada heirs. Genji had acted on instincts honed by years of training. The man was dead before Genji's mind caught up with what had happened. He was shaking and panicking when he called Tobikuma. Genji was aware his family had blood on their hands, but that was the first time Genji had ever stained his.

After a while he got used to assassins trying to kill him or his family. Though Genji didn't enjoy killing, he was no longer fazed by it. For Genji, if someone tried to kill those important to him, they deserved to die. He didn't bother to spare assassins, he learned his lesson with Kimiko's death. If they had snuffed out the Ishikawa clan the first time they had tried to kill the Shimada's, she would maybe still be here. But that was in the past and Genji learned from the past. Threats to the family were to be eliminated. It was like a mantra that would play over and over again in his head till the threats were gone.

Once he was sure Alexander wouldn't ask any more questions, Genji turned around and lead them back into the compound. He pulled down his scarf so it rested below his nose. Sniffing the air, Genji began picking apart the smells he could identify.

There was the tang of iron from the blood that had just been spilt, that was a little nauseating to sift through. But he concentrated, pushing past the nose-wrinkling smell. Finally he found it, the faintest whiff of oil and sweet scents intermingled with it. Genji was quick to recall the scented oils Zenyatta had bought. He bit back a grin, felling his heart dance in his chest.

Of course! If he just followed the smell of the scented oils, there was no way Genji would get lost or led astray. He knew that there was no Omnic staff in the Fujimoto clan, seeing as how they hated anything non-human. So with great confidence, Genji followed the scent into the main house, Juliet, Alexander, and his Dragon following close by.

They entered though a side door, Juliet expertly picking the lock for them. Once inside, Genji signalled for his team to stay back while he and his Dragon scoped ahead. Genji reached the end of the hall and peeked around the corner, spotting no guards as of yet. He sniffed the air in order to discern which way they should head. The sweet scents were leading right, so Genji led his team that way.

They kept at this for a while, Genji going ahead in order to sniff out directions and possibly eliminate guards while Juliet and Alexander watched his back. At one point Genji thought of himself as a bloodhound trying to sniff out prey. His Dragon didn't find it so amusing to compare the two of them to dogs, but Genji at least got a small chuckle out of it. Gradually the Omnic's scents began to grow stronger, letting Genji know they were heading in the right direction. However once they reached another crossroads, Genji stopped in confusion.

His Dragon shared his boggled look, its head swivelling left and then right. The vanilla scent had separated from the rest, going down one hall while the rest went down the other. There was also faint wisps of caramel trailing after the vanilla, which confused Genji even further. Why had they separated some of the monks from the others? Genji wasn't liking this, not one bit.

' **They are planning something, Sparrow. We have no time to waste**.' His Dragon growled, nudging him. ' **Quick, retrieve the others. Then we shall investigate this matter.** '

Genji nodded, pushing everything unimportant to the back of his mind. "Right." He mumbled, heading down the hall where the other Shambali monks had been lead to. If Alexander or Juliet were curious about his actions, they didn't say anything. Genji preferred it this way. Now was not the time for idle chitchat.

He stopped at the edge of the hall and once again peeked around the corner. There were four guards stationed near a door, two in front of it and the other two on either end of the hall. The ones not in front of the door were walking back and forth like sentries, their posture lax and completely unprofessional. They probably thought no one would even try to break into the compound. How wrong they were.

Slinking back, Genji bit his bottom lip. This was going to be complicated. He had to eliminate the guards quickly and before they could fire their weapons. Genji didn't have a plan, not one that wasn't reckless, anyways. But then again, when had he ever gone with a non-reckless plan?

' _Go big or go home_ ,' He mused to himself, smirking at his Dragon.

The beast pulled its mouth back in a mixture of a grin and snarl. ' **I was just going to say the same thing.** '

Genji smirked, pulling out his Wakizashi while also taking out another set of shuriken. Glancing over his shoulder at Alexander and Juliet, he nodded to them.

"Stay here. We'll make this quick."

Not waiting for a response, Genji's Dragon shot forward from their cover. Genji followed suit, diving into a roll and, the moment his feet were planted firmly on the ground, let his shuriken fly and imbed themselves into one of the guards. All three of them landed in an arch up, each puncture higher than the last. By the time the man dropped to the floor, Genji was already readying three more shuriken.

By now the guards had swivelled towards Genji and his Dragon, two of the remaining three letting out yelps at the sight of the spirit. The third man hadn't been able to make a sound other than a muffled wail, for Genji's Dragon was currently latched onto the man's skull. With a sickening crunch the Dragon bit down, completely severing the man's head from his body. Suddenly the man's form exploded into those jade flames, his Dragon landing on the ground and parting its empty jaws in a snarl. This prompted more screams from his two companions, one dropping his gun in favour of turning around and running.

Genji wouldn't let him escape, he couldn't. An escaped enemy was a living threat that could hurt his loved ones in the future. As if in a trance, Genji zeroed in on the fleeing man. He sprinted past the other guard, knowing his Dragon would take care of him. Genji was fast, his normal abilities heightened because of his spirit lending its aid.

He caught up to the man in record time and, lashing out, Genji stabbed the man in the side with his Wakizashi. He cried out, swinging his arm in the hopes to hit Genji. Ducking down, Genji missed the fist aimed at his face. He yanked out his blade and swung it up, stabbing it through the man's arm. He used the force to pull the man's hand towards him, the guard unable to do anything but follow the tug. Genji snatched his other hand out, grabbing the man's face and slamming him into the wall. With his prey pinned, Genji yanked out his blade and delivered the killing blow.

The clacking of his Dragon's claws against the wooden floorboards let him know that the beast was approaching. He instinctually held out his hand, the Dragon dropping the shuriken it had taken from the bodies it consumed. Along with the weapons was a set of keys, no doubt to the doors the men had been guarding.

"Finish up here and stand guard outside. Let me know if more security comes." He told the beast, turning around and frantically heading back to the door.

Alexander and Juliet were already waiting for him, their anticipation almost as palpable as Genji's. He pocketed his shuriken and sheathed his Wakizashi, struggling to get the key in the slot thanks to his haste. When he finally heard the click of the door unlocking, Genji wasted no time in throwing the doors open. He rushed inside, Alexander and Juliet flanking him.

Inside the monks were silently huddling near a corner, a few of them jumping at the doors hitting against the wall. Genji's eyes automatically locked onto Zenyatta, an indescribable feeling of relief washing over him and quenching some of his rage. There was only a moment of silence where everyone processed everything, then like a dam breaking, emotions were let lose.

"Genji!"

"Zen!"

They rushed at each other, hugging as if their life depended on it. In the back of his mind he knew he might be getting blood on Zenyatta, but he couldn't bring himself to care right now. Zenyatta pulled back and yanked down Genji's scarf before he grabbed his face, smashing his lips against Zenyatta's faceplate. The feel of his teeth hitting metal was jarring, but the numbing sensation of Zenyatta's kisses was helping with the slight pain. All over his face Zenyatta laid kisses, each one punctuating his frantic words.

"You're ok! Oh thank the Iris, you're ok!" His hands touched Genji's face reverently, almost like he was afraid this was just an illusion. "I had thought- I couldn't-!"

Genji cracked a grin, hands coming up to rest over Zenyatta's. "Well I'm alive, so no need to worry about that anymore."

Zenyatta slumped against him, his body shaking as he clung to Genji. "Yes… It would seem you are fine after all." He paused, fingertips brushing along the scales decorating Genji's face. "Though… You are a lot greener than my memories recall."

"Ah, right. About that…" Genji grinned sheepishly, glancing off to the side.

His attention diverted to the happy squealing coming from the monks, or more specifically, Hibiscus. The Omnic was in her girlfriend's arms, accepting the flooding of kisses and trying to lean in to give her own. Juliet had her mask pulled down below her chin just so she could lay kisses along Hibiscus's faceplate, her large hands shaking as they held the Omnic close. Though the sight was sweet, it only took Genji a moment to realize that something was extremely wrong and when he did, he felt his anger spark once again.

"Hibiscus! Your arms…!"

Her outer robe was pulled from her shoulders, bunched and tied around her waist to be out of the way and showing off the damage that had been done to her. The Omnic's arms were gone, most likely ripped from their sockets if those snapped wires were anything to go by. Oil was still seeping from the damaged area and running in a steady stream down her sides. At the sound of Genji's voice, Hibiscus stopped her nuzzling in order to look at him. Genji took note that Juliet seemed to also be focused on her girlfriend's missing arms, as she was purposefully acting as support so Hibiscus wouldn't fall over.

Glancing down at her empty sockets, Hibiscus hissed. "Yeah, it's just as it looks. I had ripped out of my bindings and broke someone's clavicle before they tackled me. They ripped my arms from my body so I wouldn't cause any more trouble. I don't know where they took them."

Juliet held her closer, mouth pulled down into a deep frown. "We'll find them, don't worry."

"Tekhartha," Alexander came up, pulling his mask down so his lower face wasn't obscured. He was looking around the monks, his voice having a slight hint of panic in it. "Where is Mondatta?"

It was like a bomb went off, the silence completely deafening. Hibiscus was shaking in anger, Zenyatta clinging tighter to Genji.

"They… Took him. I do not know where." Zenyatta spoke, a slight tremor in his words.

His Dragon's warning growl in the back of his head jolted Genji into action. Gripping Zenyatta's shoulders, he nodded. "Don't worry, I'll get him back. I might have an idea where they took him." Genji glanced at the others from his little team, "Alexander, Juliet, stick to the plan. We've got to get the monks out of here."

They quickly ushered the monks from their prison, though were a little held up when they spotted Genji's Dragon. However, rather than the fear he expected, they instead made sounds of awe and bowed to the serpent. Rearing back slightly, the Dragon flicked his eyes towards Genji, then back to the monks. Just how should it respond to being bowed to like this?

Thankfully Zenyatta came to the rescue, taking the beast's presence in stride. He had a feeling the Dragon had something to do with Genji's appearance, but he would ask about that later. Raising his hands, he got the other Omnics' attention.

"Everyone, we must hurry! If our saviours are to find Mondatta, they need to be able to get us out of here safe first and foremost!"

They all nodded at Zenyatta's words, turning to Alexander as he spoke. "Everyone follow me."

With his gun at the ready, Alexander quickly led the monks down the hall. Juliet laid a kiss against Hibiscus' forehead before leaving her to take her place beside Alexander, just as Genji's plan dictated. Taking her place, Genji's Dragon helped support the Omnic. She seemed shocked by the spirit, but quickly got over it and thanked it for its help. Though Hibiscus could keep her balance easily while standing, it was better to have a support to lean on in case she happened to fall.

With Genji and Zenyatta taking up the rear, the ninja's fingertips danced along the handle of his Wakizashi. He wanted to draw his weapon just in case they needed the protection, but in Zenyatta's presence Genji couldn't bring himself to wield his blade. He was already coated in blood and had the crimson liquid painting some of the walls and floors, so there was no hiding what Genji had done. Yet he still felt shame Zenyatta was witnessing the extent of his rage. Then again, maybe it would have been better if he had drawn his weapon.

Just as they were moving down the hall, Alexander leading them out by memory, the sound of footsteps rushing towards them caused the large group to stop. Genji whipped around just as three guards came into view. They slid to a stop and pulled out their guns, training them on the group.

"Stop right there!" One shouted.

Their eyes flickered over the frozen crowd, hands twitchy on their guns. Genji could tell they were scared, the smell was so pungent in the air he was surprised he hadn't passed out from the force of it. He had an inkling as to why it was they were so terrified. They'd no doubt passed the carnage Genji and his Dragon created, but there had only been blood stains left. No bodies to tell what had attacked them. It was with this thought in mind that Genji felt his alarm shoot through the roof, especially when the guard's noticed his Dragon.

With wide eyes, one of the guards shrieked, his gun swinging to point at the spirit. It was like everything after that moment happened in slow motion. The guard shot at his Dragon, missed, but his firing caused his companions to start shooting out of reflex. Their guns had been aimed at Genji when they fired and that's where the bullets should have ended, but once again Genji was saved from gunfire by someone he loves.

Zenyatta moved just as the guns went off, his body gracefully sliding in front of Genji's. The Shimada opened his mouth, unable to tell if the roar of Zenyatta's name was from him or his Dragon. His ears filled with white noise, an echo of the gun's discharge drowning out everything. In that short moment, all Genji could think of was Kimiko. His mother shielding him and Hanzo with her body, taking the bullets so that her sons could live. Her dying in his arms, Genji unable to do anything to save her. The fear that he would lose Zenyatta the same way struck Genji so hard, it stole all of his breath in a single moment.

Then, suddenly, the hall erupted in a brilliant gold light. The sound of bells exploded in the hall, overwhelming all noise except for their holy ring. Genji and the others shielded their faces from the abrupt onslaught, but Genji didn't hide his gaze for long. He forced himself to look to see what had caused such a warm feeling to spread around them. As if to make it easier for Genji, the light dimmed just enough that he could comfortably see what was in front of him.

Zenyatta was there, his arms spread out protectively. The monk stood in front of Genji, 6 beautiful gold arms branching from his back into a halo of yellow. They cradled around Zenyatta, some with palms facing up, others with their hands clasps, each one shivering slightly.

Genji's eyes widened and it took a painfully long moment before he reached for Zenyatta with shaking hands. At the feel of Genji's touch on his shoulder, Zenyatta turned slightly. Tilting his head in a familiar smile, Zenyatta lowered his hands, the gold ones also dropping and fading from sight. With them the warm glow of the room disappeared, returning it to its natural lighting.

"I told you I had other secrets." He said in an amused tone.

Though Genji wanted to laugh, he also wanted to kiss and yell at Zenyatta for using his body to shield Genji. No matter what this mystical glowy stuff did, that didn't change the fact that he pretty much took two bullets for Genji! That shouldn't have even happened! Zenyatta shouldn't put himself in danger just for Genji's sake! However, just as he opened his mouth to say those things, Hibiscus' shriek cut him off.

"Look out!"

The two snapped their gazes back up to the three guards who were shaking off their astonishment. Their guns were trained back on Zenyatta and Genji, only moments away from pulling the trigger. Then, another shocking thing happened.

Hibiscus darted forward and past the two, her body instinctively twisting into a swing for a punch. Yet just as she was unwinding her form and throwing her shoulder, her body glowed and suddenly a pair of translucent golden arms formed where her empty sockets were. The golden fist connected to the jaw of a guard, hitting him into the wall with a loud smack.

Genji's Dragon shot forward, slamming its long body into the remaining guards and knocking them off their feet. Once they were down, the Dragon made quick work in consuming their souls, leaving no trace of the men. However no one really paid attention to that, they were too busy staring at Hibiscus who was bouncing around repeating "holy shit" over and over as she stared at her arms.

"Look! Zenny, look!" She gasped, waving her golden hands in his face. They looked similar to Zenyatta's, but different. The limbs were slimmer and daintier, reminiscent to the arms that had been yanked from her body. If Genji looked closely, he could even see flower designs on them, however the flowers looked different than the ones decorating the rest of Hibiscus' body.

Zenyatta held his hands up, trying to calm her down enough so that he could study her newly formed limbs. Around them the monks crowded, all of them offering varying forms of praise and such for Hibiscus being gifted abilities by the Iris.

Running his hands along the golden limbs, Zenyatta looked up into his sister's face. "Did you…?"

She nodded frantically, "Yeah! I met the Iris! At least I'm pretty sure it was the Iris… In that split second when I saw those dudes get ready to fire, I just moved! And then it was like I blanked out! I was sitting in a club and there was some song playing in the background, can't tell what it was, but it made me really relaxed! And sitting in front of me was the same Omnic you described when you were blessed! It asked me if I would like its help in protecting others. Of course I said fuck yeah! And then boom, I'm back here like no time at all had passed. Then I'm punching a guy in the face with these magic hands!" Here she yanked her new limbs from Zenyatta's grip so she could excitedly wave them around again.

Zenyatta stiffened and he groaned, "Please don't tell me you actually cursed in front of the Iris!"

Genji's Dragon snorted, nudging Zenyatta with his nose and causing the monk to stumble slightly. Rolling his eyes, Genji translated what his Dragon said. "My spirit says you can scold Hibiscus later on proper etiquette. Right now we need to continue with the escape."

"It has a point," Alexander said, glancing down the halls to make sure they wouldn't be snuck up on. "Plus we still have to locate and rescue Mondatta as well."

Hibiscus quickly turned serious, her excited chitter dying out. Her back straightened and her shoulders squared, her voice taking a harder edge to it. "Right. Genji, Zenyatta, broccoli spirit," She pointed to the three, Genji's Dragon making an offended sound at being called ' _broccoli spirit'_ , "You three go and find Mondatta. I'll help Juliet and Alexander in getting the other monks out of here."

"Now hold on-," Genji started, only to be cut off by Hibiscus holding up a hand.

"Now isn't the time to argue, dude!" Shoving at his shoulder, Hibiscus urged him and Zenyatta away from the group. "Just listen to me on this! You found us no problem, so you can probably find Mondatta as well! It's better if you go searching now rather than later. And Zen goes with you so he can keep you alive! You'll need a healer."

She turned around on her heel, shooing at the other monks. "All of you, get moving! Keep a fast pace and listen to whatever Alexander says! Don't worry about Mondatta right now, he'd want you all to focus on your own safety! Genji and Zenyatta will find him for us, have faith!"

The other monks seemed unsure at first, but they trusted Hibiscus. They also trusted Zenyatta and by extension, Genji. Especially since he had aided in breaking them out of their prison. So, listening to Hibiscus' words, they turned and followed Alexander's orders. He nodded a farewell to Zenyatta and Genji before ushering the monks after him, the group moving down the hall at a relatively quick pace.

Hibiscus was the last to go, the Omnic standing in front of Zenyatta, Genji, and his Dragon. She shifted slightly, golden hands clenching and unclenching at her sides. Snapping her gaze up from the floor, she squared her shoulders and levelled a steady look towards the three.

"… Stay safe, ok?"

Zenyatta nodded, raising a hand to brush it against Hibiscus' cheek. "We will. You stay safe too, alright?"

"Mmm! And try not to Transcend again, Zen. Don't want you passing out." She chuckled, her hand coming up to squeeze Zenyatta's.

She let go of his hand, moving it and hugging Zenyatta tightly. The embrace was returned and, after a moment, she let go. Hibiscus then turned to Genji, hands on her hips. He reflexively straightened his posture at the assessing look he felt directed towards him.

"You keep my brothers safe, you hear?"

"Yes ma'am."

Though Genji was surprised by the hug Hibiscus tugged him into, he only hesitated a moment before returning it. Genji felt her hands grip the back of his shirt tightly, almost like she was reluctant to let go. Hibiscus spoke so softly Genji almost didn't hear her. "You stay safe too… Ok?"

His lips twitched, a smile wanting to form on his face. Genji settled with a small one, nodding his head and patting her back. "Yeah, I will."

Hibiscus then let go and rounded on Genji's Dragon, shoving a finger in its direction, much to the beast's surprise. "And you! Keep these nerds safe! I'd hate to replace them!"

The spirit huffed, rolling its eyes, but it relented and nodded its head. Satisfied with that response, Hibiscus gave a firm nod of her head and turned around, sprinting down the hall and after the other monks. The trio remained there for several seconds longer, simply watching where she had disappeared to. They were extremely worried that the other monks would not get out, that they would be injured or worse, killed. Despite those thoughts weighing heavy on their minds, the trio had other matters to worry about. Turning back towards the hall they had come from, Genji and Zenyatta took each other's hands, squeezing them in reassurance.

"Ready?"

"Of course," Zenyatta hummed, "Lead the way, Genji."

Nodding, Genji cast a grin towards his Dragon. "Let's go find Mondatta!"

/

It was extremely easy to track Mondatta's scent from where they were, Genji leading the way while his Dragon flanked them from behind. Both man and spirit were stationed around Zenyatta so as to protect the monk from any attack that might be directed towards them. He would rather avoid Zenyatta getting hurt, especially if it was from trying to protect Genji. With that in mind, he kept his Wakizashi out and at the ready in case he couldn't get to his shuriken in time.

Though Genji was still reluctant to kill in front of Zenyatta, he could assume that the other already knew the horrors Genji committed. Several examples pointed to this kind of a conclusion. From how his Dragon easily consumed souls to the blood staining Genji's form. Though Zenyatta had yet to say anything about it, Genji doubted it was because Zenyatta hadn't noticed anything. It was rather hard not to notice the red layer splashed over Genji's scales.

' **Sparrow** ,' His Dragon warned, directing a pointed look to the back of his head.

Genji grimaced, ' _I know, I know. Not the time to have a mental crisis._ '

He pulled to a stop in front of a room, Mondatta's scent conjugating here along with that small hint of Hibiscus'. Genji had a feeling it had something to do with her arms. When he shoved open the doors, his little theory was proven right.

On the only desk in the room rested Hibiscus' arms, the oil on the ripped edges dried to a flaky texture. That was the only hint of familiarity in the room, everything else inside was devoid of life, devoid of Mondatta.

Zenyatta and Genji rushed in, his Dragon staying behind in order to guard the entrance. Lifting his head and lowering his scarf, Genji sniffed the air intensely while Zenyatta took Hibiscus' arms, holding them carefully.

"Where did he go?" Zenyatta asked, looking around the room as if it would have the answers he sought.

Genji bit back a frown, wondering along the room and taking deep breaths of the air. Mondatta's scent was located more towards the desk, but trails of it started moving towards the far wall. Pursing his lips, Genji shook his head and cleared his throat. His Dragon, taking that as a hint Genji needed help, stuck its head in the room and chuffed at him. Genji raised a brow, pursing his lips.

"A false wall…?" Eyes widening, Genji snapped his fingers. "Like at home! The escape tunnels!"

Zenyatta watched Genji rush to the walls, knocking his fist along them while also lifting up paintings to glance underneath them. With each unsuccessful find, Genji would groan in frustration. He began tossing paintings over his shoulder, not caring in the slightest about if they ended up damaged or not.

When Genji's fist finally connected with a part of the wall that sounded different, he let out a triumphant cry. "Found it!"

"Excellent work, Genji." Zenyatta said as he came up to his side. Knocking a hand on the wall, the Omnic tilted his head at the hollow, metallic sound. "But how are we to open it?"

His Dragon's conniving purr was mirrored by Genji, his eyes blazing their emerald green. Grinning fiercely, Genji flexed his shoulders. "Leave that to us. Though… You might want to take a step back."

Zenyatta was quick to listen, moving to stand to the side and let Genji do his work. Sheathing his blade, Genji shook out his arms and legs, taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly. They had no time to try and find the thing that would open the hidden door. For all they knew, it could be a hand or retina scan, maybe even a password. So, because of that, they were out of options.

Grinning, Genji felt power pump through his body in quick waves, filling him with buzzing energy just begging to be released. Around him his Dragon coiled, it's rumbling purr echoed by Genji. Tensing his body, Genji shot forward like a bullet, his Dragon ghosting him every step of the way.

With as much force as he could muster, Genji slammed his shoulder into the wall, his Dragon hitting its body against it at the same time. It shook to its foundations from the impact, the light flickering as a large dent was made in the wall. Genji's arm tingled, but he ignored the feeling as he took a few steps back to do it again. Already he could see the shape of the door, the wallpaper ripping from the force of Genji's hit. A small part of it was ajar, blowing some cool air into Genji's face.

Rearing to go again, Genji hit the door with another loud bang. The door caved in further, the opening just big enough for a person to slip through. But it wasn't big enough for Genji's Dragon and that just wouldn't do. The next time he stepped back, Genji continued till he was hugging the other wall. Then, with a roar matched by his Dragon, Genji charged the door.

The moment his shoulder slammed into it, the steel bent like paper and was flung open. It hit the concreate on the other side with an intense slam, debris raining from the ceiling while a light flickered out.

"Let's go!" Genji said, rolling his shoulders and looking back at Zenyatta.

The monk huffed, shifting Hibiscus' arms to one hand so he could use his other to push a Harmony orb towards Genji. It quickly soothed the ache in his shoulder along with several other pains along his body.

Zenyatta moved up to stand beside him, shaking his head in fond exasperation as he removed the orb. "Was that truly necessary?"

"It got us in, didn't it?"

The only response he got was a sigh. Though it really wasn't the time, Genji couldn't resist leaning over and placing a quick peck on Zenyatta's cheek. He grinned at the other before facing forward and charging into the hall, Zenyatta and his spirit close on his heels.

Mondatta's scent was growing even stronger the further they ran down the winding halls, which helped when multiple paths branched out around them. They had heard the echo of gunshots behind them, but the weapons sounded different from the standard pistols Alexander and Juliet were using. Heck, they didn't even sound like the guns the Fujimoto clan were using.

' **Overwatch, perhaps**?' His Dragon's voice rumbled.

Gnashing his teeth, Genji growled under his breath. Shit, if Overwatch was here, then Genji only had a limited amount of time to save Mondatta, get him and Zenyatta out, then skedaddle back to the Shimada household before anyone noticed him.

Ahead of them the hall opened up, ending in a door that was still swinging wide open. Genji picked up the pace, charging ahead of Zenyatta, his Dragon flanking him. The two emerged from the secret tunnel in time to see Fujimoto Kazuo climbing into a sleek black car with a few goons, Mondatta being forced in at gunpoint.

"Stop the car!" Genji roared.

Darting up into the air, the green Dragon bellowed a cry of war. It arched, plummeting down towards the car and landing on the front end of it. The car slammed into the ground, the front bending and the back jumping up. Glass cracked and airbags went off, protecting those inside from too much damage. But the Dragon's strength had caused the front tires to pop and the engine to be crushed, rendering it completely useless.

The few security guards standing outside of the car all had their guns out, pointing them at the angry spirit. Genji used this change to charge forward, throwing shuriken and picking the men off one by one. After two fell, the remaining few realized that Genji was more of a threat than the Dragon who had yet to move, even when it was shot at, most likely because the bullets just passed right through its body.

Genji dodged the few gunshots aimed at him, deflecting some that would've connected with his chest. However just as Genji was twisting to throw another handful of shuriken, one of the goons fired their gun and managed to hit him in the shoulder. Genji's body lurched backwards from the force of the bullet, a startled yelp leaving him.

Genji's Dragon mimicked the cry, its own body jerking. On its right shoulder blood began to well up and bloom, trailing down the serpent's body in red rivulets. This got the remaining security guard's attention very quickly. Shoot the man, kill the Dragon.

Genji, unable to hold onto his blade anymore, dropped his Wakizashi. His left hand came up to clutch his bleeding shoulder in the hopes to stem the blood flow. Fuck, it had been a lucky shot. He gasped, diving out of the way and dodging another array of gunfire aimed for him. Genji slid in the dirt, flicking his eyes towards his blade and quickly calculating the possible ways he could run back and make a grab for it.

"Genji!"

Suddenly he felt a warmth envelope him, filling him up with newfound energy. A quick glance above his shoulder revealed the reason as to why. Zenyatta's harmony orb rested close to him, healing his wound by stopping the blood flow. It couldn't dispel the bullet from his body, that'd have to manually be yanked out. But for now, it was enough. Heck, Genji could even feel strength returning to his hand.

More orbs flew past Genji, each aimed at the guards and impacting with distinct 'pings'. A few men doubled over or collapsed from how hard the mala hit them, others only managed to barely dodge. Zenyatta was standing a ways away from Genji, having set Hibiscus' arms down on the floor so he could fight with both hands.

With quick precision, Zenyatta threw orb after orb, summoning them back when he ran out and vaulting them off at high speeds once again. Genji used this chance to grab his Wakizashi and finish off the men Zenyatta distracted. Zenyatta would launch an orb and Genji would follow it, moving in close and slashing the men with his blades. Genji wasn't aiming to kill, only incapacitate. But then again, not many were lucky enough to survive.

The battle ended just as quickly as it started, Genji standing in a sea of bodies while his Dragon remained growling at the car. Inside Mondatta and Kazuo sat, the two guards still in the car shaking as they kept their guns trained on the Dragon. Zenyatta and Genji shared a look, the two of them nodding.

Suddenly Kazuo let out a cry, training his gun on Mondatta and grabbing him forcefully. "Alright! Nobody move or I shoot!"

That froze Genji and Zenyatta in their tracks, his Dragon also lowering the volume of its growl. Mondatta was forced from the car, Kazuo and his goons climbing out after him. While Kazuo kept his gun on Mondatta, the other men focused their guns on Genji and Zenyatta.

"Who the hell are you?" Kazuo hissed, eyes narrowed.

Genji blinked and calmly reached up for his scarf. There was no reason to hide his identity from these men, no matter what happened, they would not be leaving alive.

When Kazuo realized just who it was in front of him, his eyes widened and the hand holding the gun wavered slightly. "Genji Shimada?! But what- How- You were-! My men confirmed that you barely survived the car accident! You shouldn't even be able to walk right now!"

Raising a brow, Genji hummed as he fiddled with the end of his blade, not minding the blood he was getting on his hands. It was just like adding a fresh coat of paint to something that was already there. Lifting his gaze to regarded Kazuo coldly, Genji chuckled emptily. "You're right, I shouldn't be. In fact, I should be in a coma. But you see, that's the thing about us Shimada's, we're hard to kill." Pointing his blade at Kazuo, Genji's eyes hardened. "And something you should know is that we aren't so forgiving to those who mess with our family. And in case you missed the memo, kidnapping our guests is considered messing with the family."

The smell of fear grew in the air but still Kazuo kept his gun directed towards Mondatta. Raising his chin defiantly, Kazuo surprisingly managed to keep his voice from shaking. "I guess the rumours are true! The Shimada clan is just full of Oni! Your appearance now just proves it!"

Genji glared, annoyed at being called a demon by someone he considered scum. From the corner of his eye, he could see Zenyatta fiddle with one of his orbs, the monk hiding it behind his back before letting it float to the ground. Clearly Zenyatta had a plan so it was up to Genji to play distraction.

He twirled his blade, ignoring the way the men tensed up. "Oh please, as if that has any merit. No, there's nothing demonic here. Just a Shimada and his spirit, coming to repay you for your hospitality."

"Is that right? Well I'm sorry, but I've got to decline!" He snarled, placing the gun closer to Mondatta. "I've got a deal to make with a rising group that caught my interest! This bucket of scrap metal is my ticket into their ranks."

"Rising group?" Genji asked, frowning.

"I'm sure you've heard of them. They're making a name for themselves rather quickly. In fact, I think they might just get more powerful than the Shimada clan even." Kazuo sneered, very quick to brag about this new group. "You might've heard of them. They call themselves Talon. And once I hand over the Shambali leader, they'll give me a cut of whatever they're aiming for!"

Talon, Genji has indeed heard of them. They're not as well-known as Kazuo was trying to play them out to be. In fact, Genji was positive only criminals knew about this rising group. After all, Talon had yet to pull anything noteworthy. The only thing distinct about them was that they were nothing but a bunch of petty criminals. Hanzo had mentioned them trying to strike a deal with Tobikuma at one point. Apparently his father hadn't even allowed them to step one foot into the complex. He had turned them away without hesitation, not even entertaining the thought about a possible partnership.

With this information now known, Genji couldn't stifle the mock laugh that spilled from his lips. "Seriously? Just how stupid are you? And you call yourself the leader to your clan? Hell, I'm not even going to be the next clan head and even I can tell that's a bad business deal." Seeing the bewildered look on Kazuo's face, Genji chuckled again. This guy was no doubt still wet behind the ears, not at all used to leading. Explained why he was quick to lose his cool, spill his information, and not keep his expressions in check. Now that Genji thought about it, Kazuo was around his age. His old man apparently croaked pretty early, then again, maybe it wasn't from natural causes after all.

Shrugging his shoulders, Genji smirked, "For starters, you've got nothing backing you up in case this deal goes south. Secondly, you have no clue what Talon's intentions are other than the fact that maybe they want Mondatta. Ok, sure. Say you hand him over, what then? You've got no leverage anymore, so what's keeping them from killing you in the end? And do you honestly think they'd want to associate with you after this? You had your goons smash into a fucking Shimada's car and almost kill him as they were escorting some rather famous guests. Then you kidnap those guests and act as if you've gotten away scot-free. Your fucking stunt is all over the news, you dumbass. And real subtle with stitching your stupid clan symbol onto the back of your bullet proof vests. That's a smart way to get noticed by everyone you fucking idiot!

"And yet here you are, with your escape destroyed by a Dragon, most of your men dead, and, from how it sounded back there, you've got Overwatch on your ass now. So in all ways, you're absolutely fucked. Yet you're talking as if you're going to get out of this and sit pretty with the big boys? If I was a part of Talon, I wouldn't even want to remember your existence, let alone associate with you! Because you well and truly fucked up! The whole world has their eyes on you! Do you really think Talon, who's trying to play incognito, would want someone like you within their ranks? A compulsive idiot who doesn't think things through and is the equivalent to a spoiled brat? Honestly, you're a pretty shameful leader, you know that?"

Genji might've taken it too far on his little rant, for now the gun was being pointed at him and not Mondatta. "Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Kazuo screamed, cocking his gun. "All you Shimada's are the fucking same! Thinking you're so high and mighty, talking down to everyone! You make me sick! Your clan is wasting away, pretending to be respectable and all that bullshit! Everyone knows you're just a bunch of murderers! It's only a matter of time till you guys are the ones being slaughtered like cattle!" Pausing, Kazuo grinned. "In fact… Why don't we start this massacre… With you?"

Zenyatta's hand suddenly shot forward and he shouted, "Mondatta, now!"

Mondatta yanked himself from Kazuo's one-armed grip and snapped his wrist up. The orb that Zenyatta had set on the floor and had subtly been rolling towards Mondatta darted form its place on the ground. It soared up in an arch, following Mondatta's hand and catching Kazuo in the jaw. The impact and his staggering caused Kazuo to fire his gun. Genji tried to dart out of the way, but he was still caught by the bullet. Despite the way his body jerked from it hitting him somewhere in the chest, Genji surged forward. He wasn't dead, so he'd count that as a blessing and would continue to fight.

Zenyatta and Mondatta moved in tandem, the two spinning and splitting the mala between them. They made quick work of knocking the remaining two guards out, the mala spinning around them threateningly. Genji took this time to tackle Kazuo to the ground, his Dragon leaping from the car and consuming the two guards who were witnesses to Genji's identity. They couldn't allow anyone to know that Genji had been the one helping the Shambali escape.

Pressing his blade to Kazuo's throat, Genji glared down at him with blazing eyes, the fury he'd been feeling for a while coming to the surface once again. "You made a mistake in attacking the Shambali, Kazuo. A mistake that you will pay with your life."

"Genji," Mondatta finally spoke, having been silent the entire time. "Even if he has done us wrong you do not have to kill him. Please, lower your weapon."

Kazuo smirked, feigning confidence. "Yeah, listen to the Omnic, Genji. You don't want more blood on your hands, do you?"

Tightening the grip on his blade, Genji's shoulders tensed. He growled, sparing a glance at Mondatta and Zenyatta over his shoulder. "I have to kill him. If he lives, there's no guarantee he'll not be troublesome in the future."

Zenyatta stepped closer to Genji, a hand raised as if to placate him. "Genji please, you've already shed so much blood trying to save us. I understand you feel that this is the right way, but even if he's a criminal, he doesn't deserve to be-"

"Threats can't live!" Genji snapped, his shoulders slumping. He looked at Zenyatta with wide eyes, hoping to convey the intense feelings welling up inside of him. "My family learned with Kimiko that if a threat isn't dealt with, they'll come back and hurt us far worse than before. I can't let that risk happen, not if I can prevent it."

Zenyatta stiffened, "Oh, Genji…" His tone filled with sympathy, instantly realizing why Genji was so adamant to kill Kazuo. But still, it wasn't right. "Genji, my dearest, I know you feel this is the right thing to do, that you will be protecting us this way, but you can't. If he does become a threat in the future, then I'll have faith that we'll work together to keep each other safe. I trust you to protect me, Genji. Please, trust in me that I will protect you as well."

Genji's Dragon snapped its head towards the secret tunnel entrance, its ears swivelling forward and pointing at the door. It quickly looked back at Genji and growled a warning. ' **Sparrow, we are about to have company soon. Hurry**.'

He looked between his Dragon and Zenyatta, he too picking up the sound of footsteps approaching rapidly. Genji had to make a decision quick, least he get caught by whoever was coming. He had a feeling it was most likely Overwatch, but he'd rather not have his back to them in case it wasn't. But what choice does he make?! He couldn't let the man live, but Zenyatta and Mondatta practically pleaded with him not to kill! Genji didn't want to lessen himself in their eyes, but he couldn't just ignore his instincts. They were screaming at him to kill Kazuo, eliminate the threat before it got the chance to hurt them again. Genji had to do it, he had to kill him.

' **Sparrow! Hurry**!'

"Genji, don't!"

With a frustrated cry, Genji lifted his blade and slammed it down. Kazuo lurched forward with a shriek, his hands scrabbling up to clutch at Genji's arm. The Wakizashi had punctured Kazuo's chest, almost exactly in the same spot as Genji was shot. It wouldn't kill him, especially if it was taken care of quickly. But this was Genji's way of getting some satisfaction; a way of repaying Kazuo for the bullet wound.

Bending down till he was near Kazuo's ear, Genji hissed, "If Overwatch decides to let you live, then fine. But if you ever mess with my family or the Shambali again, I will kill you. And no one will be there to save you a second time."

He yanked out his blade just as the door leading to the tunnel was kicked open, a blond-haired man decked out in a blue uniform and wielding a heavy pulse riffle rushing through. The man was followed by a few other soldiers wearing similar uniforms, each one holding weapons of some sorts. The man trained his gun on Genji, eyes darting around to assess the situation.

"Hold it right there!"

Genji pulled his scarf up so it was obscuring the bottom half of his face. He stood, sheathing his Wakizashi and turning slightly. He nodded his head to Mondatta and Zenyatta, only sparing a glance at the people wearing Overwatch's insignia. These were the good guys, Zenyatta would be safe with them. Genji then turned and ran, ignoring the man's yell for him to stop.

Just as it looked like the man was going to fire his gun, Genji's Dragon roared and darted forward, blocking its host's retreating figure with its body. The moments of shock and surprise was just what it needed to give Genji a better chance of escaping. By the time the Dragon turned tail and darted into the sky, Genji was already gone from sight. His Dragon continued flying higher, becoming a streak of green in the sky that was quickly swallowed up by clouds.

/

Genji stumbled back into the compound, his body throbbing and his breathing coming in short gasps. Behind him his Dragon trailed, its head hanging and tail dragging along the floor. The both of them were exhausted, bleeding, and aching all over. Genji had to launch himself over the walls of the compound since he couldn't just walk in through the front door. Though at the beginning of his mission Genji could have handled this no problem, right now he was already feeling the strain of combining his body with his Dragon's. With each step his legs screamed at him, his head pounding and his lungs stuttering for breath.

When Genji made it to the Shimada's personal quarters, he could barely keep himself upright. The sound of a duel pair of footsteps got Genji to look up from where he was leaning against the wall. He wasn't all that surprised to see Tobikuma and Hanzo on the other end of the short hall. Genji had a feeling Hanzo would tell his father the moment he sensed Genji's Dragon in the compound. It was only a matter of when Genji would come trailing in.

What a sight they must have been. Genji, coated in scales, bullet holes ripping through his clothes and fabric damp with blood; his Dragon, trailing after him down the hall, hunched low so it could fit without knocking its head on the ceiling. The two of them were still dripping blood, creating two distinct puddles as they stood there locked in a staring contest between Hanzo and Tobikuma.

The confusion and awe colouring their expressions was only overpowered by the concern they felt. Giving them a crooked grin, Genji shrugged one shoulder. "Sorry… But I told you I wanted to save Zenyatta."

Sensing that they were safe and Genji was no longer in need of its strength, the Dragon let out a sigh and relaxed. Its body faded away and the moment it was completely gone from sight, Genji felt his tattoo tingle and migrate towards his back. Like being hit by a truck, all of Genji's aches and strain returned to his body, this time stronger than before his mission began.

Genji almost collapsed on his feet, his lungs stuttering as something welled up in his throat. Coughing harshly, Genji tipped his head forward and vomited. However, instead of stomach acid and remnants of food, Genji was puking up blood. The crimson liquid splattered against the floor, the sight and sound spurring Hanzo and Tobikuma into action.

Hanzo caught his brother just as he tipped forward, Genji's eyes rolling in the back of his head. Genji was out cold before he even had the chance to apologize for getting blood on his brother.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: So before anything, YES. THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER. /throws confetti/ the chapter after this is just the epilogue! I decided to post them both at the same time because, eh, why not? I'm so happy with where this story has gone and god I'm so delighted my final chapter is going out with a bang! There's so much I want to say but lemme just start by saying thank you. Thank you for the likes and comments! I read every single one and gosh they made my day! I seriously thank you for going on this journey with me! This was my first Overwatch fanfic and I'm so pleased with how it turned out! I can only hope that my next fanfic will be just as good, if not better! Before I start another chapter fic, I really want to try my hand at writing a oneshot or two. Just so I'm able to get a better grasp on some characters. Or who knows, maybe I'll just jump right in like I did with this one? Learn by trial and error? Who knows~ But again, thank you for reading and giving this story love! It's thanks to your encouragement I was able to get this far! You all rock!

* * *

"So let me see if I got this right," Zenyatta hummed, lifting up an orange from the large bowl situated in his lap. "Two of your fractured ribs broke and punctured your lung, you dislocated your shoulder, sprained your ankle, exasperated your head trauma, and were then put under house arrest by your father?"

"Yeah, and it sucks." Genji whined dramatically.

Genji was lying on his bed, recovering from his increased wounds. Zenyatta had aided his Harmony orb, but even that couldn't heal broken bones. At least Genji didn't have to worry about the ache from his sprained ankle and shoulder. His Dragon, on the other hand, was dormant in his mind, dead asleep and not likely to wake up anytime soon. The thing was just as exhausted as Genji, it had every right to sleep like the dead. Too bad Genji couldn't join it in its self-induced coma. He would have probably missed seeing Zenyatta and the others return if he had been asleep.

Looking at Zenyatta, Genji could almost believe that nothing had happened. That Zenyatta hadn't seen anything between him and Asako and that he hadn't been kidnapped. For a moment, Genji entertained the thought of not saying anything, but he knew he couldn't. Genji had made his choice and he was going to stick by it, even if it killed him.

"Hey, Zen?" Genji risked lifting a hand and brushing his fingers against the Omnic's knee. Zenyatta was currently sitting on Genji's bed near his hip, peeling a bowl of oranges for Genji to snack on. The fact that he had forgone sitting in the chair near Genji's bed just filled the wounded man with hope.

Without pausing in his task, Zenyatta glanced up at Genji. "Yes?"

Genji bit his lip, "Look… About what I wanted to tell you before… This all happened." He said, gesturing to his injuries with his free hand. "I… I wanted to talk to you, about everything."

Zenyatta was silent, but he still had his attention directed towards him, so Genji took that as incentive to continue. Genji wanted to look away, to fidget, to do something to get this nervous energy out of his body. But he couldn't move without exasperating his wounds, so Genji sat there, chewing on the inside of his cheek and digging crescent shapes into the palm of his hands.

"So… Where do I even begin?" He laughed humourlessly.

Splitting the orange into its nature-made slices, Zenyatta lifted one and held it to Genji's lips. Hesitantly, Genji opened his mouth and accepted the fruit. It was sweet with only the barest hints of sourness.

Zenyatta split off another piece of the orange, "Why not start from the beginning on why you approached me in the first place? I believe that that will give you a place to start."

Swallowing, Genji bit back a grimace. "Right…" Taking a deep breath, he gathered his resolve. "So after we first met, I was hanging out with my ex-friends and generally just complaining how I'd have to be on better behaviour than usual or else Hanzo would skin me alive and what not. Then Jiro, you'll never meet him because he falls into that ex-friend category, made a bet and I was stupid and went along with it. I do that often, making stupid decisions I mean. I never say no to a bet, which usually gets me in trouble more often than not. But it's just because I don't have that much shame. But I don't do anything that's harmful to someone! Well actually I guess this one did count as harmful… But Like, I mean I won't attack someone and-!"

"Genji, rambling." Zenyatta chuckled, offering another orange slice.

He was grateful for the fruit being popped into his mouth, it gave Genji the chance to shut up. Chewing quickly and swallowing, Genji cleared his throat. "Right, sorry. Anyways Naoki was pretty much against it from the start, though I didn't know why till later. But generally the bet was to sleep with one of the monks and take a photo of it as proof. I um… Kind of used my Dragon to peep on the monks? But only once! Just to set a target!" Crap, no matter what he said to try and lessen the blow it just made it sound worse.

Zenyatta paused, seeming to connect the dots to something. "Ah, the prank. You wanted to create an opportunity where all of the monks would be required to disrobe. It would save you time and effort than just individually checking them all at different moments of our stay. And you did it in a way that wouldn't be harmful and would seem like just harmless fun." Tilting his head, Zenyatta stared down at the orange in his hand. "I commend you for your clever thinking, though I assume you didn't account for Hibiscus dragging you into your prank as well?"

Genji winced, "Er yeah… That wasn't a part of my plan. But long story short, we picked you and started trying to woo you. It worked, but then something unexpected happened. We started growing attached. My Dragon was the first to realize it, that thing is more attuned to our instincts than I ever could be. And I guess our instincts were saying that you were the perfect mate." He felt a wry grin pull at his lips, "Now that I think about it, my Dragon was extremely adamant to have me dress nice enough to catch your eye. I never did look up what biological ornament means, but I've got a feeling I know what it means now.

"Anyways, eventually my Dragon and I were at a crossroads of sort. It wanted to acknowledge you as something more than a bet, I didn't want to address my feelings for you. It was terrifying, my feelings. I was being a coward about them and I tried to do everything I could to run from them. But… I couldn't." Genji mumbled, closing his eyes. "When we first slept together, I made the choice not to go through with the bet. I wasn't done hiding from my feelings, but I knew what I was doing wasn't right. I couldn't do that to you, I couldn't hurt you like that. So I refused to take the picture. I even intended to tell you about the bet when I had gained enough resolve."

Zenyatta fed Genji another orange slice, nodding his head slowly as he listened. Though he knew chunks of this, it was nice to hear it from Genji's point of view. It at least gave Zenyatta more of an opinion on the matter. Though he had already made his own conclusion, more information never hurt.

Once he finished the orange in his mouth, Genji licked his lips. "I called Naoki to tell him about it and though he was annoyed with me for not admitting my feelings, he supported me all the way. I intended to tell Jiro and the others when my birthday rolled around. Though if I think about it, maybe telling them before my birthday would've been better." Genji sighed, tossing an arm so it obscured his eyes. "What happened at my birthday was a mistake, something that shouldn't have happened. God I wish I could do so many things differently. Jiro got under my skin, goaded me into kissing Asako to prove I wasn't in love and shit. That's kind of when you walked in and saw everything."

The memory still hurt, even now. But Zenyatta kept his calm and continued to feed Genji the rest of the orange, going to peel another one when he ran out of slices. He didn't bother to respond, not yet at least. Genji still had more to talk about from the looks of things. He would voice his thoughts on the matter once Genji has said his part.

"It was stupid of me to not chase after you, there's no other way to say it. Sitting there and drinking myself silly wasn't what I should've done. I regret not going after you, even now. Naoki, he'd left before I started kissing Asako, didn't want to be there to see that train wreck. When he came back he listened to what happened, decked Jiro in the face and then punched my lights out. Took me back to his apartment and let me stay there even when he was pissed off at me."

"Naoki is a good friend," Zenyatta mumbled, placing the peels in the bowl.

At that Genji felt a small smile pull at the corner of his mouth. "Yeah, he is. When I woke up, I talked to my spirit. We had an intense heart to heart and I came to the conclusion that what I did was wrong. Agreeing to the bet, kissing Asako, lying to myself about my feelings, and so on. There's so many things I could've done better, but I didn't. I decided that I needed to stop running and to make a stand. So I ended my friendship with Jiro and after that I went looking for you, but I found Hibiscus instead. She was nice enough to hold back when punching me."

Zenyatta's head snapped up in shock, the Omnic quickly searching Genji's face as if to see if anything was bruised; which was a silly thought since most of Genji was covered in bruises. Zenyatta was just glad that Hibiscus hadn't gone through with her threat of removing Genji's spine from his body. That would've been extremely horrific and Zenyatta was pretty sure Genji's spirit couldn't help him recover from that.

Running his fingers through his hair, Genji sighed and stared at Zenyatta, eyes pleading. "Look, Zen, I know I fucked up. I've been regretting it every moment of every day. There's so much I want to say, so many apologies I just want to throw at you. I could spend every day telling you how sorry I am, but words mean nothing if I don't have actions to back them up." Reaching over, Genji grabbed Zenyatta's hands, gently forcing him to let go of the orange. He then squeezed those hands, "Zenyatta, if you'll let me, I'd like to spend every day doing whatever I can to make this up to you. I'll do anything you ask. I want to earn back your trust in me."

Zenyatta studied Genji, his head tilted in an assessing manner. Throughout the silence Genji kept a hold of Zenyatta's hands, ignoring the slight tremor going through his own limbs. Genji was absolutely terrified of Zenyatta's response, all kinds of scenarios going through his head. He didn't think Zenyatta hated him, the monk being here was proof of that. Just having him by his bedside and feeding him peeled oranges was enough to fill Genji with hope. Hope that Zenyatta wanted to help repair the relationship Genji had damaged.

Genji unconsciously tensed when Zenyatta asked, "Anything?"

Quickly scrambling to respond, he nodded hastily. "Of course! Anything you want! If you want me to keep my distance, sure! Wanna hit me? Just say the word and I'll give you an opening. Want me to run around Hanamura yelling from the rooftops how sorry I am? God just let me get a crutch and I'm gone."

Sure Genji was a little desperate, but could you blame him? He was an eccentric person by nature, so it only made sense his remedy for solving things were just as unconventional as him.

Chuckling softly, Zenyatta slipped his hands from Genji's grip. "Though I would like to see you try and accomplish climbing up onto roofs with a broken arm and sprained foot, I think I'll settle for something easier. I would like to hit you, Genji. If you'll permit me to, that is."

Fuck, Genji took it back. Maybe Zenyatta really was mad at him. But still, Genji was a man of his word. With a firm not, Genji closed his eyes tight and tried not to scrunch up his face. Just let it happen, he deserved this. He just hoped Zenyatta didn't hit him with his full strength. Even if Zenyatta wasn't as strong as Hibiscus, he was still an Omnic and metal fists to the face hurt.

He heard Zenyatta shift and the sound of the bowl being set aside. Genji forced himself to relax, body prepping to roll with the punches. However instead of the jolting feeling of being whacked in the face, Genji was instead startled by a painful flick to the forehead.

"Ah!" He jumped, eyes flying open wide and flickering towards the hand inches away from his face.

Pulling back his hand, Zenyatta laughed at the bewildered expression Genji wore. "Did you really think I would punch you, Genji?"

"Er… Kind of?"

Zenyatta picked up the bowl of oranges, still chuckling under his breath. "I do not make a habit of hitting an already injured man. I believe you've been physically hurt enough. However, don't get me wrong, I'm still upset with you, but I don't intend to hold a grudge and keep your guilt around your neck like a noose." Reached over, he cupped Genji's face in gentle hands. "I love you Genji, so very much. And what you did hurt me greatly, that I won't deny. But while I'm happy you didn't go through with the bet and you tried to stick to higher morals, I'm still disappointed in you for trying to lie to yourself and letting someone goad you into breaking your resolve. I know you had no intention of hurting me or letting me see that. I believe in the fact that you would have told me eventually when you got tired of running. But fate had me see you kiss Asako, so we did not have the pleasure of letting you come to terms with your feelings at your own pace. But right now I sense that you are trying and it would not be right of me to deny you a second chance. So I will ask you, Shimada Genji, how do you feel about me?"

Genji gripped Zenyatta's hands, feeling his chest swell with an indescribable warmth. "I love you, Tekhartha Zenyatta. I was a fool for not admitting it sooner, I hope you'll give me the chance to make it up to you."

Satisfied with his answer, Zenyatta hummed and leaned in till his faceplate was just inches from Genji's. "Of course. Though, there will be limits until I can trust you again…"

Genji grinned, "Whatever you want, I'm yours."

"Good," Zenyatta snickered, "Because I really want you to kiss me right now."

His cheeks hurt with how wide he was smiling. Snorting, Genji let his eyes fall closed. "That I can do."

Moving in the rest of the way, Genji kissed Zenyatta, trying to put as much feeling as he could into this single action. Zenyatta's hands slid from where they were on Genji's face, cradling the back of Genji's head in a soft grip. Humming against Zenyatta's faceplate, Genji let his own hands gently run down Zenyatta's frame. The kissing was sweet, slow, not at all meant to turn heated. Sure it was just as passionate as any of their previous kisses, but this one was fuelled more on showing their love for each other rather than trying to satisfy their lust.

Pulling back, Genji began peppering kisses along Zenyatta's faceplate. Now that he was able to hold onto Zenyatta and take his time with reaffirming that he was safe, Genji felt an undeniable urge to kiss every part of Zenyatta that he could reach. The overwhelming amount of relief Genji felt at having Zenyatta safe in his arms was indescribable. Genji never wanted to go through that again, not if he could help it.

Zenyatta let Genji have his fill of placing kisses along the dots on his forehead. While this went on, Zenyatta went back to peeling the oranges. Between his kisses, Genji asked Zenyatta how the speeches would be going after this incident.

"Well this setback has ruined a good chunk of our plans. The leader of Overwatch personally came to advise us against continuing our speeches. He believed it would be safer if we returned to Nepal rather than risk lingering in Hanamura."

After Genji had left Zenyatta and Mondatta, Overwatch had escorted the two back to the other monks. Alexander had told Hibiscus about the " _unknown vigilantes_ " plan, so they had no reason to worry about their identities being revealed. But the issue remained that Overwatch was still in Hanamura and still keeping an eye on the Shambali from the shadows.

Genji frowned, lips resting against the dome of Zenyatta's head. "What did Mondatta decide?"

Here Zenyatta took a deep breath and sighed, hands pausing in their peeling. "He decided that after Hibiscus has her arms repaired we will cut our trip short and return to Nepal. It is the… Safest option I'm afraid."

He had a feeling that would be the case. Still, it was an extremely hard pill Genji was reluctant to swallow. He grunted, hiding his face in the crook of Zenyatta's neck, pulling the monk close and trying to curl his body around the other.

Zenyatta didn't seem surprised by the actions, he just continued peeling oranges. He leaned into Genji's arms, sighing. "It will take about a week for Hibiscus' arms to be repaired and reattached to her body. Till then we are to stick close to the complex to avoid possible dangers."

Genji snorted humourlessly, "Looks like we're both under house arrest." Frowning, the injured man squeezed Zenyatta. "Will I… Really have to let you go in a week?"

Thinking about it for a moment, Zenyatta tilted his head and looked at Genji. "Well I would hope you let me go sooner than that. I don't think your body can handle clinging to me for an entire week."

Groaning, Genji let out a whine. "Zen, I'm being serious here!"

At least for his troubles it earned him an affectionate pat on the back from Zenyatta along with his giggling. "Yes yes, I know. But really Genji, it isn't like this is a goodbye forever. It's just a goodbye until one of us comes to visit the other."

Genji huffed, "I know, but that still doesn't make it any better."

"No, it doesn't. But it's all we can do for now…"

He pulled back from Zenyatta so they could look at each other, "Will you miss me?"

Placing the peeled orange in the bowl, Zenyatta cupped Genji's cheeks. "Oh Genji, of course I'll miss you. Every day I will most likely think of you and how you're doing. Wondering if you're recovering properly and if you've eaten or not. I'm sure we can call each other and talk, but even then I will still miss your company."

Genji stared at Zenyatta for a while before his familiar smirk appeared, the one Zenyatta had dubbed his ' _plotting look'_. Before he could question Genji on his suspicious grin, the man was already placing a kiss on his forehead and cuddling as close as his injured form would allow.

"You're right, calling and video chat are an option. It isn't like **all** contact will be cut off."

How cunning it was that Genji began placing small kisses along Zenyatta's chin, trailing his lips down his neck. In the back of his mind Zenyatta made a note that Genji could be extremely distracting when he wanted to be. He'd have to talk to him later about his suspicious wording. But for now the monk was content with feeding his boyfriend oranges and occasionally stealing those lips for himself.

Genji and Zenyatta spent the entire week together, unable to go far without being heavily flanked by large men. Tobikuma had his eyes practically glued to his son; Genji was almost surprised his father hadn't installed cameras into his room just to make sure Genji didn't try to escape through his window. Sprained leg or not, Genji would find any way to escape being confined. He just didn't like the feeling of being a trapped bird.

As the week drew to a close, his Dragon had woken up and had practically wailed all night long when it learned Zenyatta would be leaving soon. Genji thought the spirit was being a little dramatic, but then again he understood how it was feeling. They were running out of time, it was now or never.

So, two days before the Shambali were to leave, Genji requested something of his father.

"I want to visit mom's grave and I want to take Zenyatta with me."

It was over breakfast, the perfect time to ask this of his father. Tobikuma paused mid-bite, a frown marring his face as he set his chopsticks down. "This is rather short noticed, Genji. But… I suppose it's possible. You won't be going alone, however."

At that Genji shrugged, "I mean I figured. So can we?"

Tobikuma sighed and turned back towards his food. "I would never deny you the chance to go and see your mother."

Genji hid his grin, mumbling a thank you to his father. He ignored the look Hanzo was giving him, he didn't have the time to discern whatever it was in his brother's expression. He was too busy keeping a straight face and pretending as if nothing was off. This was just phase 1 of his master plan, Genji couldn't blow it before the entire thing even started.

Later in the evening Genji found him and Zenyatta walking to Kimiko's grave, the two of them carrying their own respective bundle of flowers. Genji had been studying up on flowers and their meaning, so he had a basic understanding of what his and Zenyatta's bouquet meant.

Genji had picked flowers that would specify what he was feeling for his mother. Orange zinnias with blue salvia and clusters of green hydrangea, topped off with some curly sprigs of mint and orange spray roses. Genji's bouquet practically sang of ' _remembrance'_ and ' _missing you'_. As an added bonus, Genji had used a specifically designed paper for this bouquet. It was decorated in the pattern of pink carnations, the symbolism meaning ' _I will never forget you_ '. Genji felt he should splurge a little on this bouquet, who knew when he'd get the chance to do it again?

Zenyatta had a simpler bouquet, though his had just as much meaning as Genji's. With beautiful statice's, white clover, and some olive leaves, Zenyatta's bouquet spoke of peace and promises, though as to what Zenyatta was promising, Genji had no clue. Still, he didn't question Zenyatta's choice in flowers. If the monk wanted to promise Genji's mother something, then that was up to him. Though he would be lying if he wasn't at least somewhat curious as to what it might be.

Behind them at a respectable distance was Genji's security as well as some for Zenyatta. They kept their distance, close enough to defend the two if needed yet far enough away that they wouldn't overhear anything said if it was whispered.

They stopped in front of Kimiko's grave, Genji letting go of Zenyatta's hand so he could kneel and light the incense. It was hard to do with one hand, but Genji was determined to do this without help. He was just thankful his arm didn't require a sling anymore, so it wasn't too bad. With the sticks lit, Genji took the bouquets from Zenyatta and set them on the small platforms reserved for such items. He then pulled a thermos from his bag, dumping out the old tea in the beautiful cup and replacing it with warm, fresh tea. He then set a few peaches on the plate next to the cup.

Zenyatta kneeled beside Genji, his palms pressed together and his head bowed as he offered a silent prayer to the deceased. Genji followed suit, though a little awkwardly thanks to the cast.

Once that was done, Genji cleared his throat and licked his lips. He reached over with his free hand to take one of Zenyatta's and tangle their fingers together. Zenyatta gave an encouraging squeeze, sparing a glance towards his boyfriend.

"Hey Okaa-san, how are you? Oto-san and Anija are well, they miss you as always. I'm doing alright, though as you probably noticed I could be better. Less… Beat up. But I swear it wasn't my fault! The first time anyways." Genji grinned wryly, "I got into a car accident. Well more like our car was rammed into by goons from the Fujimoto clan. It flipped a few times and I seriously thought I was going to die. It was… Terrifying. I was scared, Okaa-san."

Zenyatta's grip on his hand tightened, the Omnic's shoulders stiffening slightly. Genji glanced at him, leaning over to press their shoulders against each other.

"The Shambali monks had been kidnapped because Fujimoto was trying to use them as leverage. Oh! Right, you don't know about the monks. See, they're a group of Omnics and some humans that live in a monastery on a mountain in Nepal. They're super cool and nice, you would've loved them." He paused, searching for words. "Um, this is Zenyatta. He's a monk from the Shambali and… He's my boyfriend." Even if his mother wasn't physically here to comment, Genji still felt himself ducking his head and blushing shyly. "I know right? Shocking! Your playboy son found someone completely amazing and way out of his league. I'm surprised he still puts up with me, especially after all the shit I put him through."

Zenyatta chuckled, "You aren't that bad. A handful, but thankfully I have enough hands to keep you in check." Turning his attention back to Kimiko's grave, Zenyatta bowed his head respectfully. "It is very nice to meet you, lady Kimiko. Genji has told me so much about you and with every story I find myself even more amazed with the remarkable person you were. It is tragic that we could not meet face-to-face, but I hold hope that wherever you are, you are watching over Genji and his family."

Genji and Zenyatta spent a while longer talking to Kimiko's grave, telling her everything that had happened since Genji's last visit along with other mundane topics. Eventually Genji started talking about the other monks and how they were like. He was convinced that Kimiko would love Hibiscus' exuberant energy and would have fun bantering with Mondatta. He was even more convinced that Kimiko would absolutely adore Zenyatta, much to the other's embarrassment.

Eventually they had to draw their visit to a close. Yet before they left, Genji asked to have some alone time with his mother's grave. Zenyatta was completely understanding and moved to stand with the security guards while Genji talked privately to his mother.

Genji looked down at his hands, gnawing on his bottom lip as he tried to speak over the lump forming in his throat. "Hey… Okaa-san? There's actually a reason why I wanted to come here today. You meeting Zen was a part of it, but not really the full reason. I came here today because I wanted to tell you… Goodbye."

He took a deep breath, "Not forever, just for a while, I think. I… Don't really know the next time I'll have a chance to visit your grave because…" Genji trailed off, struggling to find the words to his jumbled thoughts. "I'm leaving Hanamura and going to Nepal. I've already thought long and hard about this. I can't stay here, I can't go back to my life before Zenyatta. I absolutely refuse to return to being that person. I know it's selfish of me to leave Anija and Oto-san, but I have to do this, I have to find my own path. And my path is not here, it never was.

"I… Have never liked the family business. Not when I was a kid and even now I still don't like it. But I accepted it because I am a Shimada and I will support my family, always. Yet meeting Zenyatta changed my life, made me into a better person. I've made mistakes Okaa-san, some I'm still trying to make up for. But I can't get better if I stay here, confined inside the compounds walls. I need to get out, explore the world, meet new people and experience new things! Staying in Hanamura won't grant me that, not the way I need it. I've always been a free-spirit, just like you. Being confined isn't right for me, I'm not content to have my wings clipped and spend the rest of my life in a pretty cage."

Looking up at Kimiko's grave, Genji swallowed hard. "So I've decided to leave. No one knows yet but you, me, and my Dragon. I wanted to let you know so that you won't have to hear it from someone else. And because I wanted to be able to tell you goodbye. I swear I'll visit, nothing can keep me from seeing you." Smiling forlornly, Genji looked down at his hands. "I'll miss Hanzo and Oto-san. And Naoki, he's been such a good friend, I'm going to miss him too. Heh, you know Hanzo told me Naoki came to visit the moment he heard I had gotten injured. Too bad I wasn't there to see him, was too busy saving the Shambali."

Genji laughed softly, rubbing the back of his neck. He sighed and closed his eyes, pointing his face upward. "I hope they forgive me for leaving." He let the silence linger for a while before he sighed and stood, looking down at his mother's grave. "I love you Okaa-san, keep an eye on Hanzo and Oto-san for me, ok?"

Reaching out, Genji let his fingertips trace the dragons etched onto the stone, mumbling a goodbye to Hoshiko and Ryuu as well. Just then the breeze picked up, a familiar scent floating around Genji and filling him with a burning warmth. His eyes stung from the swelling of his emotions and the lump in his throat grew. That familiar soft scent of his mother passed along Genji like a fleeting touch, lingering long enough for him to recognize the scent.

He cracked a watery smile and chuckled, bowing his head to hide his growing tears. "Bye Okaa-san."

Genji turned away from her grave, the scent following him along the wind. Zenyatta didn't comment on Genji's tears, he simply took his boyfriend's hand and walked with him back to the car. The drive back to the Shimada home was silent, both of them lost to their own thoughts. Still their hands remained firmly clasped, their sides pressed close and their heads resting against each other's.

That night before Genji settled in to sleep, he checked his closet to make sure he had his bag and everything in there. Genji would leave for Nepal a week after the monks left, enough time for him to make his escape plans and to say his goodbyes, even if it wasn't verbally. He was seriously going to miss this place…

Genji closed his eyes, burrowing himself under his blankets and sighing. As he drifted off to sleep, Genji smelt the faint whiffs of his mother's scent. Sweet and comforting, lulling him into a deeper sense of security. Genji felt this peace for the remainder of Zenyatta's time in Hanamura. Knowing that he would be with the monk a week after he left helped quell Genji's anxiety.

However as he was hugging Zenyatta on the day he was supposed to leave, Genji found it harder and harder to keep quiet. He knew he'd see Zenyatta relatively soon, but that still didn't stop him from holding Zenyatta like this was the last time they'd see each other. The two of them had snuck off to a little corner so they could have some semblance of privacy, even if it was for just a moment.

"I'll call you the moment we land." Zenyatta was saying, voice coming out muffled because Genji had his lips pressed against the front of Zenyatta's faceplate.

"And video chat?" Genji mumbled, moving to kiss along Zenyatta's forehead.

"I will set up an account as soon as I'm able."

Genji wrapped his arms around Zenyatta's shoulders, pulling him into a tight hug. Zenyatta's hands wound around Genji's waist, returning the hug. They whispered sweet nothings to each other, swapping " _I-love-you's_ " in between kisses.

Hibiscus found them like that, the two having fallen into a silence as they held each other. She was polite enough to give them a moment longer before inviting herself into their hug. They jolted slightly at the extra arms, but seeing the familiar flower patterns on them calmed them just as quickly.

"Hey you lovebirds, times up. Gotta get in the car now." She mumbled, excitement subdued significantly.

Moving one arm from Zenyatta's neck, Genji wrapped it around Hibiscus' shoulders. "Yeah, we know."

She rested her head against Genji's shoulder, letting out a heavy sigh. "I'm going to miss you, burned-broccoli."

"'Burned'?" Genji echoed in bemusement.

"Yep, burned. Since you don't have green hair anymore, figured I should update your nickname."

The three of them chortled at the explanation, their foreheads knocking together and resting against each other.

"I'm going to miss you guys," Genji mumbled, "Who else am I going to get in trouble with?"

"You'll just have to get in enough trouble for the three of us." Zenyatta whispered, fingertips brushing against the back of Genji's neck.

"Don't worry Genji, I'll think of you the next time I see broccoli." Hibiscus said solemnly.

Genji snorted, "Gee, you're so thoughtful."

"I know."

They fell into another bout of laughter, the three of them separating reluctantly. Hibiscus gently hit Genji in the shoulder, tilting her head in a smile.

"Don't be a stranger, you hear? We've got plenty of rooms back in the monastery, you can visit any time. And if you don't want to stay in your own room, I know Zenyatta will be very accommodating." He leaned forward, the lights on her forehead flashing on and off. "I'm winking, f-y-I." She hissed not so subtly.

Snorting, Genji crossed his arms over his chest and grinned at her. "I'll probably take you up on that offer. So long as it's ok with Zen."

Zenyatta shook his head fondly, "Need you even ask? You are always welcome to stay in my room, Genji."

Juliet chose then to appear and come up behind Hibiscus, her hands settling on her girlfriend's shoulders. "Alexander says it's time to go." To Genji she nodded her head in farewell, "Genji. Take care."

"You too," He grinned, "Keep an eye on Hibiscus alright? Make sure she doesn't end up in jail again."

"It was only holding! And you don't even know the full story, chump!" Hibiscus pointed a finger at Genji, stomping her foot in indignation.

Juliet began steering her lover away, tossing an "I will" over her shoulder as she led Hibiscus back to the car. Juliet was apparently leaving to follow Hibiscus to Nepal. She was going to join their security team so she could be with Hibiscus while also putting her profession to use. Genji was happy for them, truly. Though Juliet's choices made Genji realize that he'd probably have to find a job he could do once over there. Genji wasn't going to be a freeloader, not if he could help it! Maybe he could help around the monastery, carrying and repairing things? He was sure he'd be able to find something.

Movement from the corner of his eye snapped Genji from his thoughts, the young Shimada now focusing back on Zenyatta. He stood there in front of Genji, wringing his hand in front of him nervously. Surprising that the moment they were to say goodbye, it was suddenly extremely awkward.

"Zen?"

"Genji?"

The both paused, having interrupted each other at the same time. It seemed to be what they needed to crack the tense atmosphere. They chuckled lightly, taking a single step closer to each other and reaching for the other's hands. Resting their foreheads together, they sighed in unison.

"You first," Genji whispered.

Releasing one of Genji's hands, Zenyatta reached up and plucked one of the mala hanging around his neck. They shifted to accommodate the gap, putting a little more space between each sphere. He held the orb to Genji, depositing it in his hand. "I want you to hold on to this for me. You can give it back the next time we see each other."

Genji nodded, slipping the orb into his pocket. He then reached up and pulled his orange scarf from around his neck. Zenyatta let Genji wrap it around his neck, running his hand down the fabric once he was done.

"I want you to have this then. We'll trade back once we see each other, how about that?"

Zenyatta flashed Genji a smile, "That sounds like a plan."

It took no prompting for the two of them to lean in for a slow, lingering kiss. They placed as much feeling as they could into it, both reluctant to move away. But they'd already spent long enough saying goodbye and it really was time for Zenyatta to go.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Zenyatta pulled away, their hands still touching until they were no longer in arms reach of each other. Genji watched from where he stood as Zenyatta walked to the front of the complex. He would glance over his shoulder every now and again, each time more hesitant to leave than the last. Genji was so tempted to run after him, to hold him and tell him that he'd see Zenyatta soon, that they only needed to last for a week. But he had to stay strong, he had to say goodbye for now.

Mondatta was the last to get in the car, the Shambali leader turning [NC1] to look at Genji. He bowed at the waist, Genji mirroring the movement. They had already bid each other goodbye earlier when Mondatta was telling Tobikuma and Hanzo farewell. Still, the bow just now was Mondatta's way of saying another form of goodbye to Genji. While they might not be considered close friends, they still had something akin to friendship. This was Mondatta's way of saying goodbye to a friend, with a simple bow and lacking in words. Surprisingly Genji didn't expect any different from Mondatta, it was just something along the lines of what he expected the other to do.

As the car started, the window rolled down and Hibiscus practically shoved half of her body out the window. Mondatta, who was the one sitting next to the window, was squashed to the seat of the car as his sister waved frantically to Genji.

"Bye Genji! If you forget me I'll break your nose! Love you!"

He laughed, returning her enthusiastic two-armed wave. "I won't!" Kind of hard to forget someone you'll be seeing in a week, but Genji decided not to add that, least it ruin his plans.

Hibiscus was reluctantly coaxed back into the car, though Genji had a feeling she might've also been dragged back in, but he couldn't really tell, especially since the cars were driving away. Genji left once the doors had closed and silence reigned once again in the compound. Already he was missing Zenyatta, but he could handle this. He's lasted longer with not seeing the other, he could go on for another week. He'd have to write a letter to Hanzo and Tobikuma explaining his reasons for leaving and wishing them well. And Naoki, maybe he should visit his friend in person? Then again there was the chance Naoki would be asleep and would probably be pissed at Genji for waking him up just to say goodbye. Maybe another letter would be the safer option for him…

Unable to find anything else to do to occupy his time, Genji slipped into the dojo and began training earnestly. He'd have to sneak in to take his katana, there was no way Genji was leaving without it. The same could be said for his Wakizashi and all of his shuriken. And what about packing his clothes? Sure his duffle bag was big enough for his katana, but would it be able to fit all of his weapons plus clothes? And did Genji even have anything warm enough for the weather in Nepal? What was the weather even like? Genji felt like maybe he should've planned this better.

" _Genji_."

Hanzo's voice abruptly snapped him from his thoughts. Genji followed through with the rest of his swing, carving a deep gash in the dummy before he stepped back and sighed, letting the tension flow out of his body. Turning slightly, Genji tilted his head at the pinched look on his brother's face.

" _You ok_?" He asked, moving so he was fully facing his brother.

Hanzo walked further into the dojo, glancing at the dummy Genji had been mutilating a moment prior. " _I was going to ask you the same thing. You seem… Bothered_."

This was Hanzo's way of asking if Genji was upset that Zenyatta was gone. Maybe not exactly that, but Genji had a feeling it was what Hanzo was trying to get across with as little words as possible. Probably trying to avoid asking out loud in case Genji got further upset at the mention of Zenyatta and the other monks being gone. Genji was kind of grateful with how thoughtful his brother was being.

He flashed a smile he hopped was convincing, " _Of course I'm fine! I mean sure I'm going to miss Zenyatta, but it's not like I won't ever see him again_."

Hanzo stared at Genji in a calculating manner, lips pulled down into a frown. " _Yes, that is correct. I am sure Oto-san wouldn't mind a trip to Nepal to visit. But I hear that it snows yearly at the monastery, so perhaps warm clothes would be in our best interests_."

That's just what Genji needed to hear! This time his smile was wider and more genuine than his previous one. " _You're right! Don't wanna freeze off anything important_!"

Crossing his arms over his chest, Hanzo managed to crack a small smile. " _Indeed, but I'm sure you can manage_."

The way that was worded left Genji feeling like Hanzo had meant something different than what Genji assumed he meant. It always annoyed him with how cryptid his brother could get when he wanted to be mysterious. Was it too hard for him to just outright say whatever it was that was on his mind? Genji didn't have time to try and pick through his brother's mind, mainly because it was a steel box surrounded by a labyrinth and life-threatening traps. Genji would have an easier time trying to break into a working Omnium than he would trying to get into Hanzo's head.

" _Well I just came to see how you were fairing. And to tell you that we will be going out for dinner tonight_."

Giving a two-fingered salute, Genji swivelled back towards the dummy. " _Sounds good! Fancy pants dinner or cucumber casual_?"

He missed the grimace Hanzo gave him at the names, " _Semi-formal. So please, don't train all the way till then. Take a shower before we leave. I would rather not sit and try to eat while you smell like something that crawled out of a public toilet_."

" _Ouch, harsh_." Genji laughed, tossing a grin over his shoulder. " _Alright, I'll shower before we leave_."

" _Good_."

And with that Hanzo let Genji go back to his one-sided sparring. For some reason that Genji couldn't fathom, Hanzo was showing up to hang around Genji more and more. At first Genji thought he was going to have to go and seek out his brother just to spend some time with him for the last week he would be in Hanamura, but almost every moment Hanzo was free, he was spending time with Genji. Sometimes they didn't even talk, they just sat around each other, Hanzo reading a book while Genji played his video games.

The same could be said for Tobikuma. Though he was busy running the clan, he'd also had Hanzo and Genji sit in his office while he worked. Sometimes Hanzo helped him with the work, but they never nagged at Genji for lazing around. They just… Simply stayed in his company. Genji should've been suspicious about this, should've looked the gift horse in the mouth. He should've noticed the dark circles under his father's eyes growing more prominent, or how Hanzo seemed to be more grumpy than usual. But he didn't, he simply soaked up every moment he could with his family.

Two days after the monks had left, Genji got a call from Zenyatta. Apparently only now had they just returned to the monastery. Genji was more than delighted to hear Zenyatta's voice. They made an effort to talk to each other at least once a day, though as the week wore on Genji found it harder and harder to whisper a goodbye and hang up the phone. It got to the point where he had to bite his tongue to keep from spilling his intentions. It was the longest week of Genji's life.

When the day he intended to enact his plan rolled around, Genji was ready to go. He'd have to stow aboard a plane like a bandit, only because he couldn't make a ticket purchase without alerting his father. Not only that, but they probably wouldn't allow him to take his weapons aboard the plane. That was fine, Genji knew he could easily make it in the cargo hold undetected. It was just going to be extremely cramped while he was there. Best to pack some food for the ten hour flight.

Genji had his duffle stuffed to the brim with what he needed and, for added measure, he also had a backpack on filled with other things he might need. He had just enough room in his duffle bag for his katana, but he'd need to head to the dojo to go and retrieve that. It was going to be a pain getting out of the compound undetected, especially with bound rips and a broken arm, but Genji could manage. At least his ankle was healed and no longer causing him trouble. Genji could just summon his Dragon if he needed a quick getaway. He could ride the thing in its tangible form, right?

As if to respond, his Dragon let out a rumble that sounded oddly close to a ' _maybe'_. That wasn't at all reassuring, but Genji would take what he could get.

He waited till the dead of night when he knew everyone but the guards would be sleeping. Genji pushed open his window, slipping out quietly and climbing onto the roof. He closed his window behind him and summoned his Dragon, the serpent taking the size of a small cat. It pushed against Genji's back, acting as support and helping him scale the side of the roof with one hand. It took longer than it should have, but Genji was carrying added weight with only one hand to help hoist himself up. The last thing he needed was to rush and end up breaking his neck falling from the roof.

Genji kept low, sneaking along the shadows as he headed towards the dojo. The slight shift in air behind him had Genji stiffening and whipping around, eyes wide and heart pounding. The moon was high in the sky, its thin crescent spilling enough light for Genji to see who it was that was behind him. Genji felt his breath freeze in his lungs and his blood run cold.

Hanzo stood before him, hands clenched and anger pooling off him in waves. The glare he was directing at his brother was sharper than any of Genji's blades and possibly even more deadly. Hanzo's shoulders shook, his words coming out through clenched teeth.

" _So you really are going to leave_?"

" _Hanzo_ -"

" _Without a word? Just like that? When we were all asleep you planned to sneak out and run away. What are you thinking, Genji_?!" He snapped, a hand cutting through the air.

Genji swallowed, not even five minutes into his escape and he had already been caught. This was not going to end well. " _I left a note_ …" That sounded weak, even to his ears.

It seemed to fuel Hanzo's anger, his eyes flashing blue momentarily. " _A note? You think a note is going to appease us?! What can a note do that words spoken to the face cannot?! A note is a coward's way to say goodbye_!"

" _I left a note because I didn't want to risk being stopped_!" They weren't yelling, not quite. They had enough brains to know that yelling would just get them both caught. For now they settled on angry whispering, though it was still felt like they were shouting.

" _You wouldn't be stopped if you planned on coming back_!" Almost like a balloon that had been popped, Hanzo began to deflate, his anger disappearing. " _But… You don't intend to come back, do you? At least not permanently."_

Genji bit the inside of his cheek, " _No… I don't. I'm… Going to stay in Nepal_."

Hanzo didn't seem surprised by this. His shoulders slumped, yet his shaking remained. And when he spoke, his voice sounded strained and hoarse. " _So am I to say goodbye? Just like that_?"

The younger Shimada's eyes widened when he realized that Hanzo's eyes were glossy with unshed tears. His brother moments away from breaking down was what caused Genji to move. He rushed forward just as Hanzo did, the two of them enveloping the other in a tight, bone-breaking hug. Genji's eyes stung and his throat closed up from the force of his emotions.

Genji took in a shuddering breath, burying his face in the collar of his brother's yukata. " _I'm not going to disappear forever, Anija. I'll stay in contact, I swear. Letters, phone calls, video calls, all of that_!"

" _But you will not be **here** , Genji_." Hanzo whispered, the grip on his brother tightening. " _This is your home_...!"

He smiled sadly at that, " _Maybe. But you know that saying, 'Home is where the heart lies'? Well Zenyatta has my heart and I am required to follow_ …"

Hanzo snorted, " _Such a fool… That monk will have his hands full dealing with you_." Pulling back, Hanzo gave Genji a watery smile. " _You had better come back for holidays_."

Genji grinned and sniffled, " _I wouldn't miss them for the world_."

The small smile on Hanzo's face faltered as his grief finally overtook him and his tears began falling. Genji wasn't that far behind, he too beginning to cry as Hanzo pulled him in for another constricting hug.

Closing his eyes tightly, Genji hiccupped. " _I'm going to miss you Anija_."

Hanzo cradled Genji's head, petting his hair as he cried. Though his voice warbled slightly, Hanzo still managed to whisper, " _No matter where you go, no matter what you do, you will always be my brother. Forever and always_."

Genji couldn't bite back his sobs at those words and he buried his face further into Hanzo's collar, trying to burn his brother's scent into his mind. He felt the brush of scales along his arm and cheek followed by soft purring. Glancing up, Genji saw Akira and Hikaru coiled around him, the two Dragons nuzzling Genji and brushing away his tears with their whiskered snouts.

He chuckled, nuzzling them back as a form of farewell. Genji's Dragon was curled around Hanzo, chirping a soft goodbye. With great reluctance they separated, Hanzo and Genji both moving back to put space between them. Their faces were equally red and tear-stained, but they smiled at each other. It was watery and completely unbecoming of two Shimada heirs, but that didn't matter.

Genji turned, his Dragon leaving Hanzo and flying back towards its host. It nuzzled Akira and Hikaru as it passed, the brothers whispering their goodbyes in words the Shimada's could not understand. Once they were back to their respective masters, Genji bid one last look at Hanzo before he whispered a ' _goodbye'_ and left. Hanzo remained standing there on the roof, watching his brother leave while his Dragons attempted to offer him comfort.

It was with a heavy heart that Genji slipped into the dojo. This was his final stop inside the compound. Running in to Hanzo had been a mistake, but Genji wasn't going to regret it. He only wished he could do the same for his father. However the whole point about running away was to do it without your parent's knowledge. But Genji should know by now that his night was never going to go as he planned.

Just as he grabbed his katana, the door to the dojo slid open. Genji jumped and whipped around, his Dragon coiling tighter around his neck at the sight of Tobikuma in the doorway. Genji bit his tongue to hold back a curse that was just begging to spill free. He was a sorry excuse for a ninja if he couldn't run away without being caught twice!

" _Genji_ ," Tobikuma's voice gave away nothing, his hands behind his back and his shoulders square.

Taking a deep breath, Genji faced his father. " _Oto-san, I'm leaving Hanamura_."

" _Mmm, for Nepal_?" Again he also didn't seem surprised. Did everyone expect Genji to run away?!

Sighing, he slumped in defeat. " _Yeah, I'm going to Nepal_."

Tobikuma watched Genji, assessing his son. The young Shimada fought the urge to squirm under his father's stoic gaze. Finally Tobikuma closed his eyes, giving no indication if he was satisfied or not with what he saw.

" _You really are Kimiko's son_ …" Opening his eyes, Tobikuma tilted his head. " _Is this really what you want? Or will you get fed up after a month and come back home_?"

Squaring his shoulders, Genji lifted his chin. " _No. I refuse to run away again. If I ever leave the monastery and return to Hanamura, it will be just for a visit. I… Don't intend to move back here_."

Tobikuma nodded his head slowly, his frown deepening. " _I see_."

Genji clenched his hands and tried to keep the tremor out of his voice. " _N-nothing you say will convince me otherwise, Oto-san. I've made my choice, now I have to follow through with it_."

The two stared at each other for a long moment before Tobikuma barked out a loud laugh. Genji and his Dragon flinched, not at all expecting that. But when Tobikuma's chuckles died down and he stared at his son with such a fond look, Genji instantly relaxed.

Shaking his head, Tobikuma sighed and let his shoulders sag. Genji looked at his father, truly looked at him. In this moment Tobikuma looked his age. The wrinkles on his face stood out more prominently, the grey streaking through his hair catching the moonlight and turning white. His father looked old, not frail, just… Old.

" _I always knew this day might come. You are so much like your mother. A free spirit, dead-set on roaming and seeing all life has to offer_." Here Tobikuma sighed, smirking at his son with a raised brow. " _You know, the mountain the monastery sits on is rather cold all year round. You'll need a very thick coat_."

Without any prompting Tobikuma moved his hands from behind his back. Genji's breathe stuttered and he felt his heart squeeze, another fresh wave of tears threatening to spill from his eyes.

" _Oto-san_ …" He whispered, voice bordering on a whine.

In Tobikuma's hands was a thick white jacket decorated in orange accents. The hood of the jacket was lined in soft, dusty brown fur and the interior seemed to be supporting the same material. There were pockets built into the jacket and, on the breast area directly above where Genji's heart would be rested the Shimada clan symbol. It stood proudly against the white of the jacket, illuminating the pride of the Shimada clan.

Genji's throat constricted and, in favour of trying to form any coherent words, Genji simply took the necessary strides to reach his father and throw his arms around him. Tobikuma was quick to return the hug, squeezing his son for all he was worth.

" _You will come back to visit, understood? Least I fly all the way to Nepal just to drag you back by your ear_." Tobikuma threatened without much heat.

Nuzzling his face into his father's shoulder, Genji chuckled and purred with his Dragon. " _Of course, Oto-san. Nothing could keep me from visiting Hanamura_."

Humming against Genji's head, Tobikuma lifted his free hand to run his fingers along his son's hair and then over the head of his Dragon. The beast chirped, nipping at Tobikuma's fingers playfully. He chuckled, ruffling the Dragon's mane affectionately before stepping back and holding the coat out to his son.

" _Then there is no need to delay you any longer. Go to the Shimada's private hanger. I've informed the pilots that you would be arriving for a one-way plane ride_."

Genji took the coat after slipping his katana into his bag. Since he didn't really have the room for it, he settled for holding the thick jacket. Genji ran his fingers over the front of it, flipping the jacket to look at the back. A larger printing of the clan symbol was embroidered onto it, the dark coloured thread standing out amongst the sea of white. While the coat was extremely stylish, it would no doubt serve its purpose well.

Genji leaned forward to give his father another one-armed hug. " _Thank you Oto-san, for everything. I'm going to miss you and Hanzo so freaking much_." He mumbled, feeling the sting of tears prickling his eyes.

" _And we will miss you_ ," Tobikuma whispered, cupping his son's cheeks. " _My strong Sparrow, though you are leaving Hanamura, never forget your roots. You will always be a Shimada, no matter where you are. Never forget that_."

He chuckled, nodding his head and grinning at his father. " _Hard to forget a place that means so much to me_."

A small smile tugged at the corner of Tobikuma's mouth. He gave a dry snort, placing a kiss to Genji's forehead. " _Don't ever hesitate to call upon us should you need help. We are your family, Genji. We'll always be here for you_."

Closing his eyes, Genji nodded and took in a shuddering breath. " _I know. Right back at you, Oto-san. I'm more than willing to come back and defend the family_."

" _Well, let's hope it never comes to that_." Tobikuma chuckled, pulling back and ruffling his son's hair. " _Be sure to invite me to the wedding_."

Genji let out an embarrassed squawk, his eyes widening as a brilliant flush took a hold of his face. " _O-Oto-san_!"

Tobikuma merely laughed at Genji's expense, giving him a small shove towards the door of the dojo. " _Get going already. You're going to miss your flight_."

Genji paused at the door, hand hesitant to open it. Risking another glance over his shoulder, Genji's eyes darted across his father's face. From the tired, sad smile to the watery shine in his eyes. Genji's heart squeezed painfully and he whirled around, throwing his arms around Tobikuma in one last hug.

" _Good bye Oto-san. I'll call you the moment I land_."

" _You'd better_." Tobikuma whispered, squeezing his son tightly.

When he let go, Genji slipped out from the dojo without looking back. He moved to the compound entrance, which was surprisingly devoid of guards and, on further inspection, Genji realized the large front doors were cracked open. He smiled lightly and, before he left the Hanamura compound, Genji took one last look at the home he would be leaving behind.

His eyes roamed over everything he could see in the faint moonlight, eyes darting up towards the roof where two dim blue lights were glowing. Genji let his gaze slide towards the dojo, taking note that the door was open and a figure seemed to be standing in the entrance. With a deep breath, Genji faced the compound and gave a final deep, respectful bow. He then turned and left the compound, running through Hanamura on silent feet.

Before he could head to the Shimada's private plane, he had one final stop. Climbing up to Naoki's apartment balcony was far easier than it should be. It helped that the place had a fire escape and Genji only had to jump across two balcony's to reach it. When he landed on the cramped platform, Genji pressed his face into the sliding glass door. It was completely dark inside the apartment, which made sense, who would be awake at this time? No one sane, that's for sure.

Still, Genji had a mission and he was on a time limit. He began knocking on the glass door impatiently. Genji got bored after the first few knocks and began making a rhythm, humming along to a song in his head. He set his coat in his lap and began knocking with both hands, continuing to knock even when a light in the apartment turned on.

Naoki came into view, looking like he wanted to murder whoever it was that woke him up. Behind him stumbled Hiro, the Omnic's lights blinking as they rebooted their systems from sleep move. Genji waved cheerily at the death glare Naoki sent his way. It was with obvious reluctance that he opened the sliding glass door and stared at his friend sitting along the veranda.

" _Should you even be running around_?" Naoki grumbled.

He leaned against the doorway, brow raised as Genji stood up. Naoki took quick note of the bags in Genji's arm and the coat in his hand. His Dragon had been smart and returned to his tattoo the moment Naoki came into view, so Genji wasn't worried about suddenly having to explain a green Dragon.

Naoki quickly sobered, his tired disposition leaving him for a more serious look. " _You're leaving_."

Hiro, having slumped against Naoki, leaned slightly so he could look at Genji. " _Leaving? Where's he going_?"

" _Nepal_." Naoki crossed his arms over his chest, " _And you're here to say goodbye_?"

" _Hit the nail on the head_." Genji chuckled sheepishly.

Naoki snorted, " _And your family_?"

" _Said goodbye to them about ten minutes ago. It was really heart-breaking, we cried. My Oto-san gave me a coat_." Genji's voice cracked slightly at just remembering the goodbyes he said. He just hoped every time he left after visits it wasn't a crying fest.

Naoki closed his eyes and nodded, seeming satisfied that Genji didn't just leave without telling his family goodbye. When he opened them again, they were hardened with a sense of determination. Naoki reached forward and grabbed Genji by the collar of his shirt, yanking him forward and into a tight embrace.

" _You're coming back to visit, yeah_?" Naoki asked, voice soft.

Genji grinned, patting his back and returning the hug. " _You know it_."

" _Good_." Naoki pulled away, smiling warmly. " _Then I don't really need to say goodbye_."

Hiro smacked Naoki's arm, making a clicking sound. " _Of course you do! Your best friend is leaving to follow his boyfriend! How romantically sad is that_?" The short Omnic shoved past Naoki, pulling Genji into a hug. " _Though we haven't known each other long, I'm sad to see you go! But maybe we can save up to come visit you. I've always wanted to see Nepal_!"

Naoki chuckled and placed a hand on his lover's shoulder, " _Let's let Genji get settled first before we make plans on visiting. He's going to be in his honeymoon phase for a few months at least_."

" _Oh please, they aren't even married yet_." Hiro waved a hand dismissively.

Genji rolled his eyes despite his grin, " _Not yet, at least. But who knows? Maybe I'll ask Zenyatta in the future. I'm not really planning anything concreate right now because if I've learned anything tonight, it's that my plans never seem to go the way I want them to. So I'm just going to play everything by the ear_."

His friend smirked and tilted his head in an assessing manner. " _Let me guess. You tried to run away but got caught_?"

" _Yep! I'd barely left my room before Hanzo found me. I have the feeling he was waiting for me to run away the whole week_." Genji mumbled, rubbing his chin as he thought of his brother's appearance. Now that he took a moment to think about it, Genji realized that both his father and Hanzo looked like they'd missed hours of sleep. Now he knew why, it was because they were staying up waiting for him to make his escape.

" _Do you have warm clothes for Nepal_?" Hiro asked, breaking Genji from his thoughts. Blinking, he nodded his head and held up his coat. Hiro chuckled, " _Is that it? You'll freeze to death if that's all you'll wear! You need gloves! Pants! Boots! Wait here, I'll fetch a pair of Naoki's winter pants. You won't mind giving them to Genji, right dear_?"

Genji was quick to jump in and stop the other from raiding his boyfriend's drawers. " _No no, it's ok! I'll just buy something while I'm over there! It really is no trouble! Besides, I'm kind of short on time. I just… Wanted to stop and say goodbye_."

Smiling, Naoki gave Genji's shoulder a light punch. " _Well you did. While costing us our sleep, might I add_."

With a warm laugh Genji scratched the back of his neck, grinning sheepishly. " _Yeah, sorry about that! But I was pretty sure you'd fly all the way to Nepal to punch me if I said goodbye through a note_."

" _Damn right I would_."

Genji and Naoki grinned, the both of them hugging once more, Naoki dragging a chuckling Hiro into the embrace. " _I'm going to miss you man_."

" _Me too_." Genji pulled away, patting both of their shoulders. " _You take care of this guy for me, alright_?" He said to Hiro.

Giving him a very enthusiastic salute, Hiro nodded his head. " _Aye aye sir! Take care of master Zenyatta for us_!"

" _Will do! Bye guys_!" Genji waved and hopped up onto the veranda ledge, startling Hiro.

" _W-wait! Wouldn't you rather leave through the front door_?!"

Naoki placed his hands on Hiro's shoulders, steering him back inside. " _He'll be fine, sweetheart. Genji, don't die in front of my apartment complex_!"

" _I'll try not to_!"

Paying no attention to the fussing behind him, Genji made his way back to the fire exit once again. He took the stairs two at a time and broke into a sprint the moment his feet hit the ground. He had to get to the plane, the sooner he boarded the sooner he could see Zenyatta. Genji wondered how Zenyatta would react to seeing him in Nepal, carrying his bags and the blessing of his family. This was going to be an entirely new place for Genji! A new experience, a new beginning. It was going to be a challenge getting used to it, but that just made Genji even more thrilled. He couldn't wait!


	24. Epilogue

Genji blew into his hands, rubbing them together in hopes of creating more warmth. Sure he could always go back inside the monastery and soak up the warmth from the indoor heating, but Genji wanted to be out here. It was approaching dawn, the sun only just starting to peek from behind the mountains. Genji never got tired of the mornings in Nepal. It was so beautiful the way the snow would catch the new rays of sunlight, turning them orange and sparkly. The first time Genji had seen it, he was left in awe. It was like nothing he'd ever seen before, even in Hanamura. Then again, he'd never had a reason to stare out at the scenery before. But like he was quickly learning, being around Zenyatta was giving Genji a large appreciation for the beauty of nature.

Beside him his Dragon stood, the beast towering over him in its large, corporeal form. The first week Genji had been at the monastery, the other monks had been polite enough not to inquire about the Dragon that had helped them escape. But all it took was Hibiscus practically bursting at the seams from curiosity to open up the flood gates. Soon everyone was asking about the Dragon and its connection to Genji. Asking if it was an envoy for the Iris and if it was Genji's blessing from the ethereal deity.

Though Genji was extremely reluctant to talk about his spirit, the Dragon reminded him that these monks would never give out the information to anyone. They trusted Genji and would keep his secret, all he needed to do was ask. And surprisingly the monks were extremely welcoming to the fact that Genji shared a spirit with a magic Dragon. Then again, should he have been surprised? They were a bunch of monks that gained their own magical-like abilities from their deity. A man sharing a spirit with a Dragon wouldn't have been that surprising.

So, very slowly as the two of them grew more comfortable in their new home, Genji began summoning his Dragon. Soon the monks at the monastery got used to seeing his spirit wondering around on its own, sleeping high in the rafters or curled up against someone meditating. The only time it was absent from sight was when outsiders came to the temple. That was the only time the Dragon would disappear and avoid certain areas.

"I thought I would find the two of you here."

They looked over their shoulders at the person approaching them. Genji felt his cheeks warm at the sight of Zenyatta, the monk wearing his lose robes, not at all feeling the cold as badly as Genji. Holding out his hand, Genji took Zenyatta's and squeezed the surprisingly warm limb. Pulling him up to his side, Genji slipped his other arm around Zenyatta's waist and nuzzled into his cheek.

"Hey, what's up?"

Placing a kiss on Genji's nose, Zenyatta hummed. "Nothing really, I simply realized you both weren't in our room, so I decided to go and find you. Aren't you cold?"

Genji's Dragon snorted, ruffling its body and dislodging some snow. Even if its host was freezing his ass off, the Dragon was unaffected by the freezing temperature. If anything, it found the snow to be delightful and fun to play in. This was evident with how often it would join Hibiscus in a snowball fight against Zenyatta and Genji, sometimes dragging other monks in with them. Genji found it completely unfair to go against Hibiscus' deadly throws, especially when she summoned her two golden arms and began throwing four snowballs at once. But then Zenyatta would make snowballs and vault them like his mala while Genji deflected, so they were a pretty killer team in their own right.

"Mmm kind of, but I just wanted to come out here and think." Genji mused, looking up to the growing sunlight.

"Oh? About?"

Grinning lightly, Genji produced a fancy letter from one of his coat pockets. He let Zenyatta read it, though began speaking anyways. "Naoki and Hiro are getting married. They wanted to know if we'll attend."

It has been exactly four and a half months since Genji started living in Nepal. He was still getting used to things, but with Zenyatta helping him along the way, Genji was already making a place for himself. He and his spirit would help around the monastery, doing repairs and chores along with the occasional odd job here and there. Sometimes he'd even go down to the little village near the monastery and help out there. The villagers already seemed to like Genji, it helped he had the Shambali backing him up on a lot of things. Genji was extremely grateful for everything the Shambali has done for him.

"Oh! How delightful!" Zenyatta hummed, handing the letter back to Genji. "So they'll be married in two months? That's very exciting! I would love to attend."

"Figured you'd say that, so I've already begun to make plans. Would you be fine staying in Hanamura for two or three weeks? A month at the most?" Genji asked hesitantly. Though he talked to his family and friends almost every day, Genji still missed them terribly.

Giving Genji his signature smile, Zenyatta leaned into his lover's warmth. "Of course. I would never deny you the chance to visit your family." Pausing, Zenyatta stared at Genji in an assessing manner. He fought the urge to squirm under his lover's scrutinizing gaze. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but that isn't the reason why you've been out here brooding, is it?"

Genji sighed, shrugging his shoulders and smiling sheepishly. "I wouldn't call it brooding, but you're not wrong."

"May I ask what else is on your mind, dear?"

Feeling just a bit giddy from the pet name, Genji hugged Zenyatta and laid a kiss against his forehead. "Nothing too important."

His Dragon made an offended sound at that, glaring at him and blowing out a plume of smoke from its nostrils. Zenyatta chuckled at the display, reaching a hand out and running along the serpent's snout in a soothing manner.

"I believe your spirit has other ideas on the importance of your thoughts."

Genji rolled his eyes and snorted, "Of course it would now find my thinking important. I have been deciding on a name for it, after all."

Zenyatta was quick to look at Genji, the Omnic gasping softly. "Really? Genji, that's wonderful! I would count that as very important news!"

His Dragon snorted, sitting on its haunches and curling its tail closer to its body. ' **The mate is right. My name is of the utmost importance, Sparrow. You'd best remember that, least I leave another bird carcass under your pillow again**.'

Genji ignored the threat and managed to subtly flip off his Dragon without Zenyatta noticing. He beamed innocently at his lover, "Wanna hear the name ideas I came up with?"

"Of course!"

Clearing his throat, Genji puffed out his chest. "For my lovely spirit, I have decided on the following names! Green Bean, Noodle, or BGW!"

Zenyatta snorted, shaking his head as if he couldn't believe Genji really intended to call a Dragon such things. "BGW? What on earth does that stand for?"

"Big Green Worm." He deadpanned.

This caused Zenyatta to break out in a full-blown laugh, the monk doubling over and holding his waist. He shook his head fondly, gripping Genji's arm in order to ground himself. Genji chuckled with Zenyatta, his Dragon offering its own huff of amusement. It already knew the name Genji wanted to give it, they shared a mind after all. But that didn't mean those names weren't the first thing Genji intended to go with. The Dragon would rather die than be called Green Bean for the rest of its life.

"Genji," Zenyatta wheezed out, playfully hitting his lover's chest. "Be serious!"

"I am!" Still, Genji took Zenyatta's hands and kissed them, grinning widely. "Though… I did think up one other name I like."

Taking a moment to quell his laughter, Zenyatta leaned back so he could look Genji in the face. "Oh? And what is it?"

Genji thought of the name, its meaning and how much it mattered to the type of man he was now. His Dragon purred aloud, giving its consent to the name. Genji knew it was a good choice, he'd probably stick with it. "Plumeria."

Zenyatta stared at Genji, seeming surprised with the name choice. But after a beat of silence, he hummed and melted into Genji's hold. "I think that's a wonderful name."

He chuckled, relaxing against Zenyatta. "Yeah, I do too…"

* * *

Plumeria: Perfection, springtime, **new beginnings**


End file.
